Overview

This bill proposes to raise the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales from 10 to 12 years old. This means that children under the age of 12 would no longer be held criminally liable for their actions.

Description

The core change introduced by this bill is the amendment of Section 50 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. The amendment replaces the current age of criminal responsibility, ten years, with twelve years. This means children under twelve will no longer be subject to criminal proceedings. The bill also specifies that it will come into effect on a date determined by the Secretary of State and applies only to England and Wales.

Government Spending

The bill does not explicitly detail the financial implications of raising the age of criminal responsibility. Potential costs could include increased expenditure on support services for young people, and adjustments to the justice system. No specific figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

This bill would primarily affect:

• Children aged 10 and 11: They would no longer be subject to the criminal justice system.
• Families of children aged 10 and 11: May experience changes in how their children's problematic behavior is addressed.
• The police and the criminal justice system: Procedures and resources may need to be adjusted to accommodate the change.
• Youth justice services: May see an alteration in the types of cases they handle and the age range of clients.

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