This petition was submitted during the 2020-2024 Conservative government
Rejected petition Reducing age limit for youth under 18 to 14 for different crime laws for arrest.
Reducing the arrest age from under 18 to under 14 could lead to earlier intervention and prevention strategies, Overall, reducing the age limit could help address underlying issues before they escalate and bring greater focus to the needs of younger children in the justice system.
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the government were to reduce the age limit for arrest and prosecution, they could invest in a range of positive actions and services that help address the unique needs of younger children in the justice system, with a focus on prevention, rehabilitation, and support for positive behavior development.
This petition was rejected
Why was this petition rejected?
We can't publish petitions when the request is something that's already happening or something that has been announced since you started your petition.
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The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is 10 years old. This means that children under 10 can’t be arrested or charged with a crime. There are other punishments that can be given to children under 10 who break the law.
You can find out more about the age of criminal responsibility here: https://www.gov.uk/age-of-criminal-responsibility
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.