China has lowered the age of criminal responsibility for some serious crimes from 14 to 12, because it wants to prevent juvenile delinquency committed by children
BEIJING – China has lowered the age of criminal responsibility for some serious crimes from 14 to 12, as it looks like the fight against juvenile delinquency committed by children.
Under an amended law, children aged 12 to 14 will be held criminally liable for ‘intentional manslaughter or intentional injury resulting in death or other serious disabilities caused by extremely cruel means.’
The amendment, adopted on Saturday by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s largest legislature, will take effect on March 1.
People under the age of 14 who commit crimes other than those mentioned in the newly amended law are exempt from criminal punishment but can receive corrective instruction.
Currently, the age of criminal liability in China is 16, with those between 14 and 16 being held criminally responsible for serious crimes such as rape, robbery and willful manslaughter.
The amendment to the law follows an increase in juvenile delinquency from 2018 to 2019, according to a white paper in June by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, China’s highest procuratorial body.
Previously, minors who committed serious crimes received apparent punishments that caused public outrage.
In one case, a 13-year-old boy from the northern city of Dalian was given only three years of corrective training after being convicted in October 2019 of the murder of a ten-year-old girl, who asked for law changes and stricter. penalties for minors committing such crimes.