The age of criminal responsibility : understanding the phenomenon from a psychological perspective

Abstract

This research analyses what psychological phenomena is present in a child inclined towards crime including which influence determine what society envisages an appropriate minimum age of criminal responsibility. This analysis is using a qualitative method, with the aim of obtaining the expert opinions of local professionals and later comparing the results to prominent research in the field. The semi-structured interviews provided the flexibility to ensure that an informative study is produced. Recruitment was based on obtaining a well-versed perspective of members working with ‘at risk’ youth, to provide the study with a holistic view of what impacts criminal behaviour. Findings extracted from the research include the differential treatment between genders and tendencies found in society which impact criminalisation of youth in conjunction with external and internal influences. Moreover, the research mentions that the link between mental illness and criminality. Finally, the research in conjunction with professional opinion obtained reveals that no consensus is attained regarding the minimum age of criminal responsibility.