In the UK you have to reach 16 legally to have sex or marry, 17 to drive a car, and 18 to drink in a pub, serve on a jury, or vote in a general election. Yet at 10 you can be found guilty of murder or rape.When are we going to have a mature debate on age, responsibility and crime, it is far easier to demonise young criminals and lock them away...
Saturday, April 11, 2009
A mature debate?
From Blake Morrison on the Edlington and Bulger cases:
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I was just the other day having a conversation with my girlfriend about kids being charged as adults and then facing no chance at parole for murder. 21 to drink in America yet at 18 you can be paid to go and kill in the name of defending freedom. No age requirement here to have sex, though, and only a couple states have 17 for driving... and that's why so many more 16 year olds get into accidents than adults because often they're too immature to be behind the wheel... but some 15 year olds can drive just fine. Age sure can be arbitrary.
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