Legal Definitions - child in need of supervision

A child in need of supervision is a child who has committed an offense that only children can commit, such as being ungovernable and disobedient to parents, running away from home, violating a curfew, being habitually truant from school, violating age restrictions on the purchase or possession of liquor or tobacco, or the like. This term is also known as CHINS or person in need of supervision.

For example, a 14-year-old who repeatedly runs away from home and refuses to follow their parents' rules may be considered a child in need of supervision. Another example is a 16-year-old who is caught buying cigarettes underage.

These examples illustrate how a child in need of supervision is a child who has committed an offense that is not a crime for adults but is still a cause for concern and intervention by the juvenile justice system.