Ten is too Young – The evidence for raising MACR in NI – Learning from Europe

This briefing paper has been prepared by the 10 is Too Young coalition which consists of Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI), the Children’s Law Centre, Include Youth, Niacro, the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), and the Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC).

The briefing has been prepared primarily to contribute to the ongoing considerations of members of the NI Assembly in relation to the potential to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) through an amendment to the Justice Bill. It is clear from this brief scoping, that European countries overwhelmingly use welfare responses, diversion, education, family support, and a variety of child protection based interventions – with social services as the primary lead in cases where children under the MACR display harmful behaviour – therapeutic or behavioural interventions, and multi-agency approaches.

NICCY thanks the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC) independent children’s rights institutions for submitting evidence to this paper. 

The briefing paper can be downloaded on the right-hand side of this page.