ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Young offender

A young offender is someone who has done something illegal and is under the age of 18. They are usually treated differently than adults who commit similar crimes because they are considered not as responsible for their actions because they are still young. Instead of going to jail, young offenders are usually sent to special programs and counselors to help them work on their behavior and learn how to make better choices in the future.