ACR

Ahead of a meeting this morning we spent some time watching evidence to a Parliamentary Committee on raising the age of criminal responsibility(ACR).

Our colleague Malcolm Schaffer from our sister organisation - SCRA - had been invited to provide further evidence as the Committee wished to explore options of raising the age further from the Government’s proposed age of 12.

Everyone agrees it has to rise from its current age of 8. The issue is how we, collectively, provide reassurance to Parliament and the wider public that concerning behaviour can be treated and controlled effectively and that systems are geared up to cope.

I am confident that panel members can take the necessary decisions at whatever age Parliament determines. There may be a need for some procedures and possibly new legislation, and a guarantee that the necessary services will be available. But once any new arrangements are confirmed and training undertaken we can move to a new system better aligned to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.