Which of the following is an example of a status offense?

• A. Truancy
• B. Burglary
• C. Robbery
• D. Assault

Answer: (A)

Status offenses are acts that are illegal specifically because the person is a minor. They wouldn’t be crimes if committed by adults. Truancy fits this pattern because it concerns a student’s failure to attend school, which is a requirement for minors under attendance laws. An adult skipping school isn’t a crime, so truancy is a juvenile-specific offense.

The other actions describe crimes that apply to people of any age, such as burglary (illegal entry to commit theft), robbery (taking property by force or threat), and assault (causing or attempting to cause physical harm). These are conventional criminal offenses, not offenses tied to someone’s status as a minor.