§ 5031. — Definitions.
[Laws in effect as of January 7, 2003]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 7, 2003 and December 19, 2003]
[CITE: 18USC5031]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART IV--CORRECTION OF YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS
CHAPTER 403--JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Sec. 5031. Definitions
For the purposes of this chapter, a ``juvenile'' is a person who has
not attained his eighteenth birthday, or for the purpose of proceedings
and disposition under this chapter for an alleged act of juvenile
delinquency, a person who has not attained his twenty-first birthday,
and ``juvenile delinquency'' is the violation of a law of the United
States committed by a person prior to his eighteenth birthday which
would have been a crime if committed by an adult or a violation by such
a person of section 922(x).
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 857; Pub. L. 93-415, title V,
Sec. 501, Sept. 7, 1974, 88 Stat. 1133; Pub. L. 103-322, title XI,
Sec. 110201(c)(1), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2012.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 921 (June 16, 1938, ch.
486, Sec. 1, 52 Stat. 764).
The phrase ``who has not attained his eighteenth birthday'' was
substituted for ``seventeen years of age or under'' as more clearly
reflecting congressional intent and administrative construction. The
necessity of a definite fixing of the age of the juvenile was emphasized
by Hon. Arthur J. Tuttle, United States district judge, Detroit, Mich.,
in a letter to the Committee on Revision of the Laws dated June 24,
1944. Words ``an offense against the'' was changed to ``the violation of
a'' without change of substance.
Minor change was made in translation of section references to ``this
chapter''.
Codification
Another section 501 of title V of Pub. L. 93-415, as added by Pub.
L. 107-273, div. C, title II, Sec. 12222(a), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat.
1894, is set out as a note under section 5601 of Title 42, The Public
Health and Welfare.
Another section 501 of title V of Pub. L. 93-415, as added by Pub.
L. 102-586, Sec. 5(a), Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5027, was set out as a
note under section 5601 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare,
prior to the general amendment of that title V by Pub. L. 107-273.
Amendments
1994--Pub. L. 103-322 inserted before period at end ``or a violation
by such a person of section 922(x)''.
1974--Pub. L. 93-415 amended section generally, inserting ``or for
the purpose of proceedings and disposition under this chapter for an
alleged act of juvenile delinquency, a person who has not attained his
twenty-first birthday'' after ``eighteenth birthday,'' and substituting
``committed by a person prior to his eighteenth birthday which would
have been a crime if committed by an adult'', for ``committed by a
juvenile and not punishable by death or life imprisonment.''
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 3006A of this title.
