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Lowering The Age Of Criminal Responsibility In Australia Essay

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# Lowering the Age of Criminal Responsibility in Australia to 14

The age of criminal responsibility in Australia is currently set at 10 years old, meaning that children as young as 10 can be charged with a crime and held responsible for their actions. However, there is a growing movement to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years old. This essay will explore the reasons why the age of criminal responsibility in Australia should be lowered to 14 and provide evidence to support this argument.

## Developmental Understanding

One of the reasons why the age of criminal responsibility in Australia should be lowered to 14 is that children at this age are capable of understanding the consequences of their actions. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children should be held responsible for their actions at the age of 12 or above. This is …show more content…

However, research has shown that children as young as 14 have the cognitive ability to understand the impact of their behavior and to take responsibility for their actions. Lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 would ensure that young people are held accountable for their actions but are also given the support and resources to make positive changes in their lives.

## Accountability

Holding young offenders accountable for their actions is important in ensuring that they take responsibility for their behavior and make amends for any harm they have caused. Lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 would allow for young offenders to be held accountable for their actions and would encourage them to take responsibility for their behavior. This would help to address the issue of repeat offenders who have been in and out of the criminal justice system for years.

## Early Intervention and

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