AGE AT TIME OF OFFENSE is a term used to refer to the age of an individual when they committed a crime. It is used by law enforcement and legal professionals to determine the appropriate sentencing or punishments for the offender. Age is important in criminal cases because of the legal concept of mens rea, which states that an individual must have a certain level of understanding of their actions in order to be held legally responsible. This means that younger offenders may be subject to different punishments than adults. There are generally three types of age at time of offense: Juvenile, Young Adult, and Adult. Juveniles are those under the age of 18 and are usually subject to different laws and sentencing than adults. Young adults are those between the ages of 18 and 24 and may be subject to different sentencing than adults. Adults are those over the age of 24 and are usually subject to the same laws and sentencing as any other adult.