Age of Criminal Responsibility Bill

This bill would change the age at which children can be charged with crimes in England and Wales. Currently, children as young as 10 can face criminal charges. The bill would raise this minimum age, though the exact new age limit is not specified in the available information. Children below the new age limit would not be prosecuted in criminal courts, even if they break the law. Instead, they would likely be dealt with through other support systems. The government says this change recognises that very young children may not fully understand their actions. Critics argue that some serious crimes by children still need criminal justice responses. The bill would bring England and Wales closer to practices in other European countries, which typically set higher minimum ages for criminal responsibility.

• 1Raises the minimum age at which children can be charged with crimes
• 2Currently children aged 10 and above can face criminal prosecution
• 3Children below the new age limit would not go to criminal court
• 4Alternative support systems would handle cases involving younger children
• 5Would align England and Wales more closely with other European countries