UN Concerned Over UK Threshold For Juvenile Justice
NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
The UN Committee against Torture has expressed its concern that the age of criminal responsibility remains below International standards across most of the United Kingdom and its dependencies.
So far only Scotland meets the UN minimum threshold other areas of the UK and the Isle of Man have the level set at 10 years.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child favours a limit of no lower than 12 years and ideally 14-16 years (see link to General Comment No 10 CRC below)
The relevant section of the UN report is set out below:
Age of criminal responsibility
27. The Committee welcomes the enactment of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, which raises the age of criminal responsibility from 8 to 12 years in Scotland. The Committee remains concerned, however, that criminal responsibility starts at the age of 10 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and regrets the State party's reluctance to raise it despite the call of more than 50 organizations, charities and experts in December 2012 and the repeated recommendations made by the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC/C/15/ADD.135, CRC/C/15/ADD.188, CRC/C/GBR/CO/4) (arts. 2 and 16).
The State party should raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility and ensure the full implementation of juvenile justice standards, as expressed in the General Comment No. 10 of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (paras. 32 and 33). The State party should ensure the full implementation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (Beijing Rules) and the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (Riyadh Guidelines).
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J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
01/06/13
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