at what age is a person legally responsible for their actions.?

Question

if a child under 16 is charged with an offence will they have a criminal record for life?

i thought it was 12 ,which is Scary.My son has just been charged with assualt after he hit another boy(same age 12) because he was trying to take his ipod.
I guess his life is over now.

Answer 1

18 years of age, unless you are a liberal and then you are never responsible for your actions, the government is.

Answer 2

Normally it is 18. But because people are tired of juveniles getting away with offenses that the public deems as a serious one, some prosecutors are going after the offenders and trying them as adults. And rightly so in my book. And if convicted they spend time in a juvy jail until their 18th or 21st birthday (in some states) and than transferred to an adult prison. The punishment should fit the crime don't you think?? Or do you think that young children who are murderers/rapists deserve to be out on the streets with the rest of the less offensive public.

When do you think a child should be responsible for their actions??

As for your question of whether or not they'll have a criminal record for life? - The answer is maybe depending on the offense(s). They can have a lawyer assist them in having it expunged after a certain age. e.g. 18, 21, etc. But it would still cost them some big money to have it done. Again I have a couple of questions out of curiosity... - Why would they want it expunged if they were so proud to have done it the first place?? So they can hide what they did? or be honest with others about their past?

Answer 3

In Scotland the age of responsibility is 8. Anyone over that age is deemed capable of commiting a criminal offence. In practice anyone aged 8 - 16 will be dealt with by the Children's Reporter. Between 16 and 18 it may either be the Reporter or the courts.

Answer 4

In the UK 10years but you have to prove that the child knew what they were doing was wrong this cant just be assumed.A child under 14 years cant commit rape(this is because the lawmakers didn't think them capable)It depends on the offence if they keep a record for life obviously if they were shoplifting it would go when they became 17 yrs but murder would stay for life.There are varying degrees of assault from common assault to GBH .The last being extremely serious the first being considered a minor offence.

Answer 5

In the UK a person legally responsible at the age of 10. That is the age which the government has deemed as the age at which they know right from wrong.
Reading your additional comment about your son, if it is abh he is being taken to court for, he will most likely get off with a caution or a very small penalty. As long as it is first offence (which i assume it is).
I would suggest asking the Police to prosecute this other kid for attempted robbery.

Answer 6

The age of criminal responsibility is 10.
Criminal record for life?
In some senses yes, in others no. If that person appears before a court again, then the court will have access to the complete record of the offender, albeit in summary form (i.e. x youth offences). It will also have to be disclosed if the person concerned hopes to work in certain sensitive areas (details on this link) http://www.cjsonline.gov.uk/offender/criminal_record/index.html
For most purposes, however, a conviction which is not of the most serious category (e.g.murder, rape) can be regarded as something buried in the past which does not have to be referred to again, provided the person concerned does not reoffend.

Answer 7

The age of criminal responsibility was reduced to 10 years old in 2003.

And if you are charged with an offence as a juvenile then Yes you will have a criminal record for life.

That is the cold hard fact of it.

However juvenile convictions do not affect your life as an adult really, unless you get nicked again.

Answer 8

Don't take my word for it, but I think it varies from state to state in the US, and it depends on the seriousness of the offense.

Isn't assault like threatening someone, and battery would be actually hitting someone? Oh well, anyway... I'm pretty sure your son will be fine. If your son is tried as a juvenile, it won't go on his criminal record permanently. The offense will be on his juvenile record. If he is employed, his employers(unless he's going to be a policeman) will not see it on his adult criminal record. His employers can only see his juvenile record with his permission, unless he's going to be a cop, then they can and will search his juvenile offense. I think. Don't take my word for it, ask a professional in law, I'm not a law student.

Answer 9

It depends on the crime, the state, how they were sentenced, and what direction the political winds are blowing in from. Idealy, we'd be forgiving of kids. Idealy we'd be more considerate of victums. In practice, even childhood offences have a way of following folks around.

"You know he was going to grow up to be a mass murderer. He stole a popcorn ball when he was in fourth grade!"

Welcome to America... If I had my druthers, we'd multiply the sentence of all offenders by two and that would be the length of time they would have to go with no police contacts to get their file sealed. It never would go away... If they are convicted of another crime, the file would be used in their sentencing. If they never commit another crime, they shouldn't have to report it to employers. The only possible exception being background querries that identify a potential conflict of interest (sex offenders applying for day care jobs, armed robbers applying for feduciary jobs, drug adicts applying for jobs where they have access to get high drugs, etc.) Checks from other industries shouldn't turn anything up and it should be illegal to report it to prospective employers or people in the community. We need to reward rehabilitation. This rule of thumb would work as well for a 16 year old as it would for a person in their 50s.

To all of America hooked on cops & robbers shows, I have three little words... They can even choose which of the three to accept. The first sellection says, "Let It Go." The second one goes, "Get A Life."

Answer 10

hi this is 10 years the police will take info, I dont think of something would be performed yet they do keep information now - I had a project with my son being bullied by employing below 10's, once I spoke to police, they mentioned if that they had of been over 10 they could have proceeded for criminal prosecution - even regardless of the indisputable fact that given our cutting-edge political climate and the present law, I dont think of something could take place till ultimately sixteen+. regrettably, its certainly one of those terrible issues, and you're greater interior the incorrect in case you preserve your self than provide in to those little thugs - in the event that they attempt to prosecute, get a solicitor (your son ought to seek for legal help) and make a counter declare. His life isn't over because of this, even regardless of the indisputable fact that this is a sturdy thought to stay far flung from those different boys. L

Answer 11

The age of criminal responsibility is ten years old in the UK with the condition that it can be shown that the child knows the difference between right and wrong and truth and lies.