Debate over lowering age of criminal liability gains momentum

Two parties in the emerging coalition - the Motorists and SPD - are pushing for the age of criminal liability in Czechia to be lowered from 15 to 14 years. Their coalition partner ANO says the debate is legitimate. According to Chief Public Prosecutor Lenka Bradáčová, the discussion is warranted in light of a rising number of violent crimes committed by minors. She argues that that for the most serious offences, it is appropriate — with input from psychologists and psychiatrists — to examine whether 13- and 14-year-olds possess the mental capacity required for criminal responsibility. Experts caution, however, that setting a precise age is impossible, as adolescence develops individually.