Section 18 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 applies to:

Section 18(1) applies where a child "irrespective of age has committed a petty offence, or a serious offence", where a child below sixteen has committed a heinous offence, and where a child above sixteen has committed a heinous offence and the Board has disposed of the matter after preliminary assessment. No category of offence is wholly excluded.