A high percentage of young people in Northern Ireland admit committing delinquent acts, but most acts are relatively trivial in nature, including such acts as spraying graffiti or less serious acts of vandalism. While many young people become involved in criminal activity at a relatively young age, especially for less serious forms of offending, the proportion who continue to offend declines substantially with age. Statistics support the general finding that offending is primarily committed by young males and carried out during a short period in the individual's life. The operation of the juvenile justice system in Northern Ireland is described, with emphasis on the police, courts, and sentencing. Provisions of the Criminal Justice Order of 1998 are outlined that deal with criminal proceedings against juveniles, and the impact of the legislation is evaluated through statistics on juvenile disposals. United Nations rules and guidelines concerning juvenile delinquency are examined, as well as the implementation of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act. 6 tables and 11 charts