The Criminal Age of Responsibility

• The criminal age of responsibility is 10 years in England and Wales.
• Courts have lots of different sentences that they can give offenders between the ages of 10-17:

  • Fine
  • Referral order
  • Youth rehabilitation order
  • Custodial sentences
  • ASBOs (antisocial behaviour orders)
• Fine - parents for offenders under 16 pay this fine. The ability to pay = the level of the fine (how much it is)
• Referral order - offender has to go to a youth offender panel and agree a contract of roughly 3 months to 1 year. They aim to address behaviour and to get them to make up for the harm that they caused.
• Youth rehabilitation order - community sentence e.g.curfew, supervision, unpaid work, electronic monitoring, drug treatment, mental health treatment and education.
• Custodial sentences - young offenders can receive youth custody sentences but only for serious cases
• ASBOs (antisocial behaviour orders) - anyone 10+ can get one if they behave in an antisocial way.
• For serious offences, young people under the age of 10 can be sentenced to detention.
• If the crown court considers their offense as a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public then they may pass a sentence of detention for life or an extended sentence of detention.
• Formal agencies of social control: the police, the courts, the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Serious Fraud Office, and the government.