According to the AHRC and National Children's Commissioner, what is the recommended minimum age for criminal responsibility?

• A. 12
• B. 14
• C. 16
• D. 18

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is deciding the age at which a person can be held criminally responsible. The Australian Human Rights Commission and the National Children’s Commissioner argue that fourteen should be the minimum. Their view is that by around fourteen, many young people have enough understanding of right and wrong and the consequences of their actions to participate fairly in a criminal process. At younger ages, children benefit more from welfare-focused, educational, and rehabilitation approaches than from punishment within the criminal system. Raising the age helps protect children's rights and reduces potential harms of prosecuting very young kids, while still allowing accountability for those who are developmentally ready. So the recommended minimum age is fourteen.