Statistical Briefing Book

An act committed by a juvenile for which an adult could be prosecuted in a criminal court, but when committed by a juvenile is within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Delinquent acts include crimes against persons, crimes against property, drug offenses, and crimes against public order, when juveniles commit such acts.

Offenses relating to violations of local curfew and loitering ordinances where such laws exist.

A statistic indicating the relative size of the sample on which the FBI's arrest and reported crime estimates are based. The coverage indicator incorporates the population served by reporting law enforcement agencies and the number of months the agencies reported arrest or reported crime counts during the calendar year. Where the indicator equals 100%, all law enforcement agencies in the jurisdiction reported for all 12 months. A more complete explanation of the coverage indicator can be found in the Methods Section of Easy Access to FBI Arrest Statistics.

Causing the death of another person without legal justification or excuse. Criminal homicide is a summary category, not a single codified offense. The term, in law, embraces all homicides where the perpetrator intentionally killed someone without legal justification, or accidentally killed someone as a consequence of reckless or grossly negligent conduct. It includes all conduct encompassed by the terms murder, nonnegligent (voluntary) manslaughter, negligent (involuntary) manslaughter, and vehicular manslaughter. The term is broader than the Crime Index category used in the FBI's UCR, in which murder/nonnegligent manslaughter does not include negligent manslaughter or vehicular manslaughter.

Unlawful entry or attempted entry of any fixed structure, vehicle, or vessel used for regular residence, industry, or business, with or without force, with intent to commit a felony or larceny. The term is used in the same sense as in the UCR Crime Index.

Intentional damaging or destruction by means of fire or explosion of the property of another without the owner's consent, or of any property with intent to defraud, or attempting the above acts.

Unlawful intentional inflicting of serious bodily injury with or without a deadly weapon, or unlawful intentional attempting or threatening of serious bodily injury or death with a deadly or dangerous weapon. The term is used in the same sense as in the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) Crime Index. It encompasses conduct included under the statutory names aggravated assault and battery, aggravated battery, assault with intent to kill, assault with intent to commit murder or manslaughter, atrocious assault, attempted murder, felonious assault, and assault with a deadly weapon.

Adjudication is the court process that determines if the juvenile committed the act for which he or she is charged. The term "adjudicated" indicates that the court concluded the juvenile committed the act. A juvenile adjudication is not the equivalent of a conviction in adult criminal court.