2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XVII - Public Welfare › Chapter 120a - Interstate Compact on Juveniles › Section 2 - Definitions

Section 2. As used in this chapter the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
''By-laws'', those by-laws established by the interstate commission for its governance or for directing or controlling its actions or conduct.
''Compact administrator'', the individual in each compacting state responsible for the administration and management of such state's supervision and transfer of juveniles subject to the terms of this compact, the rules adopted by the interstate commission and policies adopted by the state council under this compact.
''Compacting state'', any state which has enacted the enabling legislation for this compact.
''Commissioner'', the voting representative of each compacting state appointed pursuant to section 3.
''Court'', any court having jurisdiction over delinquent, neglected or dependent children.
''Deputy compact administrator'', the individual, if any, in each compacting state appointed to act on behalf of a compact administrator, pursuant to the terms of this compact, responsible for the administration and management of the state's supervision and transfer of juveniles subject to the terms of this compact, the rules adopted by the interstate commission and policies adopted by the state council under this compact.
''Interstate commission'', the interstate commission for juveniles created by section 3.
''Juvenile'', any person defined as a juvenile in any member state or by the rules of the interstate commission, including:
(1) ''Accused delinquent'', a person charged with an offense that, if committed by an adult, would be a criminal offense;
(2) ''Adjudicated delinquent'', a person found to have committed an offense that, if committed by an adult, would be a criminal offense;
(3) ''Accused status offender'', a person charged with an offense that would not be a criminal offense if committed by an adult;
(4) ''Adjudicated status offender'', a person found to have committed an offense that would not be a criminal offense if committed by an adult; and
(5) ''Non-offender'', a person in need of supervision who has not been accused or adjudicated a status offender or a delinquent.
''Non-compacting state'', any state which has not enacted the enabling legislation for this compact.
''Probation or parole'', any kind of supervision or conditional release of juveniles authorized under the laws of the compacting states.
''Rule'', a written statement by the interstate commission adopted pursuant to section 4 that is of general applicability, implements, interprets or prescribes a policy or provision of the compact, or an organizational, procedural or practice requirement of the commission, and has the force and effect of statutory law in a compacting state and includes the amendment, repeal or suspension of an existing rule.
''State'', a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, or its designee, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas Islands.