The Age of Criminal Responsibility

Stumped · 14-03-2010, 18:07

It has been suggested by a Dr Maggie Atkinson that the killers of James Bolger should never have been tried in an adult court for his sadistic murder, and that the age of criminal responsibilty - in other words, the ability to know right from wrong - should be raised from 10 to 12-years. Do we have a concensus on this, or is it just another case of politically correct madness being exercised by someone who should perhaps know better?

accyman · 14-03-2010, 19:47

should be lowered to 8 years old theres plenty of 8 year olds that throw bricks at cars knowing full well its wrong but know they cant be prosecuted for it and i dare say a number of other crimes too

its pretty ,essed up that kids so young commit crime but they do so somthing needs to be done about it instead of just patting them on the head and saying please dont do it again

DaveinGermany · 14-03-2010, 19:48

If kids are brought up with at least the basic tenets of a society, they can understand at an even earlier age the difference between right & wrong. Why else would an eight year old lie about something or blame someone else ? because they know they've done WRONG & want to avoid punishment.

So the blather about them not knowing the difference is pure drivel & Mrs (Dr) Maggie Atkinson, should crawl back under the stone that half wit "Balls" pulled her out from. Each case would be better served if just facts & the outcome were judged & not the age of the accused. Although Thompson & Venables were 10 years of age it doesn't make their crime any less horrendous than those of Brady & Hindley 28 & 24 respectively.

shillelagh · 14-03-2010, 20:14

England and Wales and Northern Ireland has one of the youngest age of responsibility in europe .. being set at the age of 10 .. Scotlands is even younger and is set at 8 but is being changed to the age of 12 ...

BBC News - Calls to raise age of criminal responsibility rejected

No i dont think it should be changed you know what is right and wrong at that age .. in fact i would go even younger especially nowadays .. seeing as quite a lot are 'streetwise' and do know what they can get away with.

BBC - Have Your Say: Should the age of criminality be raised?

Benipete · 14-03-2010, 20:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumped

It has been suggested by a Dr Maggie Atkinson that the killers of James Bolger should never have been tried in an adult court for his sadistic murder, and that the age of criminal responsibilty - in other words, the ability to know right from wrong - should be raised from 10 to 12-years. Do we have a concensus on this, or is it just another case of politically correct madness being exercised by someone who should perhaps know better?

I find it quite strange how an adult knows how a child thinks,Maybe I could put the imbecile right or at least point her in the right direction.

I remember as if it were yesterday being in Accrington police station at the age of 5.

On the left as you entered the building there was a big red Fireman's Axe and I was told my head was to be chopped off.I was taken down to the cells but let off.

May just work again,sure did for me

SPUGGIE J · 14-03-2010, 20:58

What is the point of it when the little buggers just get a feather tap on the wrist and told not to do it again. Hell even the serious stuff is rewarded with a full selection of goodies even if locked up.

Stumped · 14-03-2010, 21:38

Another factor to bear in mind is the influence directed at today's youngsters by violence shown on TV, in films and portrayed in computer games. I can remember 'X' and 'A' Film censorship, and the banning of so called Horror Comics because they were deemed to be a malign influence on kids. Today, even news bulletins are bombarding us with graphic violence - and the so called TV Watershed is a nonsense. Kids of 10 and 12-years are more enlightened today than my generation were at twice that age. I don't profess to know what the answer is any more than the politicians do, but based on the evidence available I would suggest reducing it rather than the alternative.

MargaretR · 14-03-2010, 21:54

Dig up Mary Whitehouse......she was right.

garinda · 14-03-2010, 23:46

Seven.

Give me the child, blah, blah, blah, and I'll show you the man.

If you haven't been taught right from wrong by seven, you'll probably never know.

Mancie · 15-03-2010, 00:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumped

Another factor to bear in mind is the influence directed at today's youngsters by violence shown on TV, in films and portrayed in computer games. I can remember 'X' and 'A' Film censorship, and the banning of so called Horror Comics because they were deemed to be a malign influence on kids. Today, even news bulletins are bombarding us with graphic violence - and the so called TV Watershed is a nonsense. Kids of 10 and 12-years are more enlightened today than my generation were at twice that age. I don't profess to know what the answer is any more than the politicians do, but based on the evidence available I would suggest reducing it rather than the alternative.

Oh dear.. so now all of a sudden you join the "PC brigade" ... i'm not having a pop at you Stumped.. just pointing out that we are all right thinking people.. but some of the ones who call for "right thinking" are labled as the PC brigade.

garinda · 15-03-2010, 00:14

Children can find a snuff movie on the internet, quicker than they could look up the word snuff in the dictionary.

Mancie · 15-03-2010, 00:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

Dig up Mary Whitehouse......she was right.

Was she the for runner of the PC brigade?.. any mention of sex and god forbid gay sex was to be banned?.. but I never heard her opposing anything regarding the racial discrimination.. nothng said on how black kids in school got a bad time because some of the history they were taught calling them niggers and slaves.. she was the forebearer of thatcher.

Ken Moss · 15-03-2010, 06:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mancie

Was she the for runner of the PC brigade?.. any mention of sex and god forbid gay sex was to be banned?.. but I never heard her opposing anything regarding the racial discrimination.. nothng said on how black kids in school got a bad time because some of the history they were taught calling them niggers and slaves.. she was the forebearer of thatcher.

Mary Whitehouse wasn't PC, she just wanted TV that anyone could watch at any time. I never agreed with her views much when she was around but we could do with someone like her now to balance what we've got on the box. I dread the day when the TV license in abolished because it will be the absolute death knell for British television and radio. Just look at America if you want a good argument for keeping it.

A BBC producer once said that in his bedside prayers he hoped that Mrs Whitehouse was watching his programmes and stating publicly that the were too violent because it immediately put another 2m on the viewing figures.

Don't confuse the PC Brigade with someone just having a good old rant about something.

Ken Moss · 15-03-2010, 06:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benipete

I find it quite strange how an adult knows how a child thinks,Maybe I could put the imbecile right or at least point her in the right direction.

I remember as if it were yesterday being in Accrington police station at the age of 5.

On the left as you entered the building there was a big red Fireman's Axe and I was told my head was to be chopped off.I was taken down to the cells but let off.

May just work again,sure did for me

It was the same with George the Slipper for us at school. It was rarely wielded by the fearsome Mr Delaney but the fear of a 15st man thrashing your bare backside to ribbons with a plimsoll kept most of us in check.

These days, even the threat would be grounds for dismissal. The parents are largely to blame for seriously disruptive children and if we didn't live in such a letigious society the system might have more power to control it.

jaysay · 15-03-2010, 09:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

It was the same with George the Slipper for us at school. It was rarely wielded by the fearsome Mr Delaney but the fear of a 15st man thrashing your bare backside to ribbons with a plimsoll kept most of us in check.

These days, even the threat would be grounds for dismissal. The parents are largely to blame for seriously disruptive children and if we didn't live in such a letigious society the system might have more power to control it.

I can remember getting the cane at school didn't do me any harm either Ken, but since discipline in school was stopped in schools society has gone belly up