An Act relative to juvenile offenders

This bill amends Massachusetts law to clarify how juvenile offenders are defined and when they can be held responsible for crimes. It expands the age range for a "delinquent child" to include anyone between 10 and 18 years old who commits a crime. Additionally, it lowers the minimum age for criminal responsibility from 12 to 10, while excluding minor offenses like civil infractions or first-time misdemeanors punishable only by a short jail term or fine. These changes directly affect the legal treatment of children aged 10 and older who commit offenses in the state.