Critical Perspectives on the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility

Early engagement with the justice system negatively impacts adolescent brain development, emotional maturity, and impulse control. It is linked to higher rates of reoffending, lower educational attainment, poor employment prospects, and worse health outcomes in adulthood, while failing to effectively deter youth crime through harsh penalties alone.

Current policies fail to address the root issue where criminal syndicates exploit children to avoid adult penalties. In this framework, children under 15 are legally exempt from criminal liability, receiving intervention instead. At 18, individuals face full adult liability. For those between 15 and 18, 'Bahay Pag-asa' institutions provide essential short-term residential care and rehabilitation while awaiting court proceedings.