The Term Youthful Offender generally means one who is for purposes of sentencing, older than a juvenile but younger than an adult. He / she is a young person (statutorily specified age range, which varies from country to country) who commits a crime but is granted special status entitling him or her to a more lenient punishment than would otherwise be available. Youthful offender treatment is generally designed to free a young person from the negative consequences / stigma of being convicted and punished as an adult, in the hope that he or she will be rehabilitated. Factors in the determination of youthful offender status include the crime and the criminal history of the individual.

“Youthful offender” means any child who has been found to have committed an offence. [Section 2(n) of the Children Act, 1974]