China lowers age of felony legal responsibility to 12 for some crimes

China has lowered the age of felony duty for some severe crimes from 14 to 12, because it appears to be like to fight juvenile crime dedicated by kids.
Under an amended regulation, kids aged 12 to 14 will likely be held criminally accountable for “intentional homicide or intentional injury that leads to death or causes others severe disabilities by extremely cruel means.” The modification, which was handed on Saturday by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s high legislature, will take impact on March 1.
Those underneath the age of 14 who commit crimes other than these talked about within the newly amended regulation will likely be exempt from felony punishment, however may very well be given correctional training.
Currently, the age of felony legal responsibility in China is 16, with these between 14 and 16 held criminally liable for severe crimes similar to rape, theft and intentional murder.
The modification to the regulation follows an increase in juvenile crimes from 2018 to 2019, in accordance with a white paper in June by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, China’s highest procuratorial organ.
Previously, minors who dedicated severe crimes have obtained what seemed to be lenient punishments, inflicting public outrage.
In one occasion, a 13-year-old boy from the northern metropolis of Dalian was given simply three years of correctional training after he was discovered responsible of murdering a 10-year-old woman in October 2019, prompting requires legislative amendments and more durable penalties for minors who commit such crimes.