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At what age is criminal responsibility for minors
The question of the age at which criminal responsibility begins arises before parents whose children have committed a crime. The answer depends on the severity of the offense.
When minors are convicted
The number of crimes committed by teenagers is growing steadily every year. Many offenses are committed by children whose age does not allow them to be condemned according to the law. Moreover, most of the offenses are associated with murder, rape, grievous bodily harm and other serious crimes.
The age at which criminal responsibility occurs is 14 years.
It is believed that a person who realizes the danger of his crime can be criminally liable. The minimum age beyond which one can be convicted is 16 years. But in the case of the commission of especially grave crimes, adolescents who have reached the age of 14 are brought to criminal responsibility. Until this age, the parents of the child have to answer for the offenses committed.
The only exception is the mental retardation of a teenager, confirmed by a psychiatric examination.
The State Duma is considering a bill according to which children from 12 years old can be prosecuted. Indeed, at this age, adolescents are already aware of the gravity of their crimes, but they commit illegal acts, since they understand that it is impossible to condemn them.
What offenses are minors sentenced for under the law
The Criminal Code provides for 20 crimes, because of which a teenager can be sent to a colony. Some of them:
- murder;
- rape;
- causing grievous bodily harm;
- kidnapping;
- robbery;
- robbery;
- terrorism and hostage-taking;
- extortion;
- theft of a vehicle;
- theft.
But teenagers should understand that they can be attracted even for hooligan actions if they entailed serious consequences. And a fight with a classmate will end in court and a term in a colony.
The first crime does not always lead to the punishment it deserves. After all, judges and prosecutors seek to replace the criminal term with house arrest and registration.
This approach is due to the fact that no one wants to ruin a child’s life. But as a rule, a juvenile offender who escapes punishment for the first time feels impunity and again commits crimes. Therefore, age is not usually considered a mitigating factor. And to avoid problems with the law, parents should explain to their children the difference between prank and crime.