Together receives Scottish Government response to joint letter on minimum age of criminal responsibility

Date: 26th March 2019
Category: Age of criminal responsibility

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The Scottish Government has responded to a joint letter from Together and the Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice (CYCJ) calling for the minimum age of criminal responsibility to be increased to 14 in line with minimum international standards. 

Together and CYCJ's initial letter highlighted the revision of UN guidance to clarify that the minimum internationally acceptable age is 14. The letter also noted comments from Professor Ann Skelton, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the Council of Europe Commissioner on Human Rights both supportive of increasing the minimum age of criminal responsibility in Scotland to at least 14 years old.

• Read Together's and CYCJ's initial letter here. 

The Scottish Government's response acknowledges the evolving international framework, and commits to examining the new UN guidance. However, it notes the need to ensure that the children's hearing system is suitable and sufficient for dealing with any case, if the age of criminal responsibility is to be raised higher. 

• Read the Scottish Government's response in full here. 

You can join the call to increase the minimum age to at least 14 by using the hashtag #BeBetterThan12 on social media.