Should the crime age be raised to 14?

Question

A think tank says that children under the age of 14 should not be treated as criminals.

So if a 10 year old trashes your car or your house, it's not a crime. If a 12 year old rapes a 7 year old, it's not a crime.

It would also mean that the Jamie Bulger killers (who were only 10) should never have been convicted and should probably get compensation.

So, if you commit a crime when you're under 14, you are not a criminal?

What do you think of the people who are proposing this?

Answer 1

Let's all look back at when we were 10. Did you know what you were doing? I did. If a 10-yr-old is a murderer, off with his head.

Answer 2

I think it is unfair that people under 14 can't commit crimes, it's like alcohol and cigarettes, you can't buy them until you're 16 or 18 or even 21 in some places such as America.

Lets bring back some common sense and say; 'sure you can commit a crime.' but only when accompanied by a responsible adult over the age of 21.

That way the 21 year old gets to do the time instead, making it more of a deterrent.

Answer 3

No it should not. I could not give a tinkers cuss the age of the lout who committed the crime. I just want them stopped Once arrested let an assessment of there mental status be taken if they are backward or immature let that be taken into consideration when sentence is given out The majority though are not, "Do the crime, Do the time"

Do gooder are usually not the people living in sink estates getting their windows smashed and having kids urinating through the letter box etc "for a laugh" Sociology theory and a bleeding heart does will not help old people sleep at night but the law could Lets give the law a chance for once

Answer 4

the legal court competency age is actually 10! but rarely do under 14's get convicted. If a crime is serious enough such as the Bulger killers they can be charged as adults.. the change in the law is outrageous, if they hire the age to 14, you can bet they wont get charged until they are 16..
so..What do you think of the people who are proposing this?
STUPID and collaborating with an already failing system and abso's are a waste of time!

Answer 5

Totally ridiculous idea, the kids are well aware of the age limits, and usually say, you can't do me for it. I'm too young, if they know this at the age of less than 10, and still commit crimes, just think how much more they will do in the extra 4 years. It should be LOWERED to the age of 6, then the police would have a chance of stopping the little b*****s.

Answer 6

Crime is committed even by a small toddler whose thoughts on actions are not yet that abstract. If so then the legal age for sexual acts should be reduced. i feel that at 14 Juvi is just accurate as it trains a teenager on the rights and wrongs. So I believe that 14 is too young to send a child into a mans world and cause the child emotional stress permanently

Answer 7

Nothing illlustrates better the fact how far these left-wing hand-wringers are out of touch with the reality.

There's a massive problem with youth crime in this country.

Every ten year old of sound mind knows the difference between right and wrong. The problem is not that they don't know, but they don't care, because there's never been an adequate punishment in their lives.

Answer 8

you are wrong when you say its not a crime, the law allows a minor under the age of criminal responsibility at seven years old,a child between the age of seven and ten is considered on each case by case merits, over the age of ten , (actually set at nine yrs) between the age of 14yrs the law allows them to account for thier wrongdoings,
I am not a follower of the proposed changes, however i can understand the angst some legislators face, when proposing a change in the law, at 14yrs old you are aware of right and wrong,at 10 you should be aware of right and wrong,parental failings notwith standing,it is this area that needs to be addressed
raising the age limit alleveiates a big chunk of grey area crime.
social services are stretched,cases would not need to be looked at they would then fall outside of the remit on age.
I am of the opinion that parents should be held accountable in a court of law for the crimes committed by a child.
if that child is under the protection of social sevices then the case worker should be accountable. they take on the responsibilities of a parent whe they remove children from thier homes, foster children who commit crimes should be the responsibility of that home. we as a society need to protect children, they are our future however that cannot mean we fail in our duty as parents by not giving that child the education and moral fortitude to accept responsibilty for crimes against the society that cares for them.
regards LF

Answer 9

I think that i would have to say it should be lowered for certain crimes for example like the Bulger case or rape should definitely be something that children should get prosecuted for.
However the argument is, Are the children of a certain age capable of knowing that they are doing something wrong.

Answer 10

No!. it would be decreased to eight. we could have specific faculties back too, like the single i take advantage of to artwork at, yet as simply by Labours coverage of giving all people an equivalent training, they closed it down. This lumped all infants at the same time, infants who struggled, ADHD, Autistic, Fragile X, Smith-Meginis syndrome, and so on, into school rooms the place they felt so threatened by extensive numbers. infants who've emotional, behavioural problems into faculties with over one thousand scholars. whilst will they opposite this daft coverage, whilst those little ones can purely cope with in a kind of say 7. a place the place adults very just about outnumbered the infants to Foster sturdy behaviour. And a place the place they slept, giving mum and dad respite over the size of a term. It worked!. Now what can we get?. youthful little ones ruining neighbourhoods. Bringing standards all the way down to their point. Re-open them Mr Brown and open your eyes to the folly of your blunders!.

Answer 11

I think they should have different sentencing for 10-14 year old, but they should still be held accountable for their actions. The people proposing this must have young criminals that wished they could have had that freedom.