Should Czechia lower the age of criminal responsibility? New report highlights rise in violent crime
Violent crime committed by children is on the rise in Czechia, with a growing number of attacks carried out simply for the thrill of it. The trend is prompting renewed debate over whether the age of criminal responsibility should be lowered.
Theft, robbery, cybercrime and sexual violence are among the offences increasingly being committed by children and juvenile offenders in Czechia, according to a new report by the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office.
In 2025, state prosecutors handled more than 3,800 cases involving children and juveniles. Children under the age of 15 committed more than 1,600 offences, with two-thirds carried out by 13 and 14-year-olds.
Zuzana Mokrá, who has worked with young offenders for more than 15 years, says the range of offences has widened in recent years.
"Among children, we most often see robbery, theft, assault causing bodily harm and disorderly conduct. Among juveniles, there are also cases of making dangerous threats, as well as radicalisation and extremism. And since the law changed, we've also been seeing more sexual offences."
Petr Malý, spokesperson for the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office, says the rise in radicalisation and violent crime reflects broader changes in society.
"This may reflect a general increase in aggression, emotional instability and impulsiveness. As a result, these offences are often situational, arising from trivial disputes, while in other cases the violence is influenced by alcohol consumption."
In response to the trend, the report recommends lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for the most serious crimes. Supreme Public Prosecutor Lenka Bradáčová says the proposal should be considered because violent offences are now almost evenly split between children under 15 and juvenile offenders. Justice Minister Jeroným Tejc has also backed the proposal, and the Justice Ministry is now preparing an analysis.
The report also recommends creating specialised secure facilities for children who repeatedly commit violent offences and pose a danger to others. According to Petr Malý, such institutions would serve a dual purpose.
"The solution would be a secure institution providing psychological, psychiatric, therapeutic and social care that would also ensure the safety of staff and the public."
Despite the worrying trend, experts say most young offenders can still be steered away from crime. According to Zuzana Mokrá, unstable family backgrounds, social media and peer pressure are among the main factors driving children and teenagers to offend.
"They often tell us it's the first time they've had the chance to really reflect on what they've done, because in their group of friends they feel they have to act tough, and at home they don't really talk about these things with their parents."
Mokrá says that with the right support, most children and teenagers are able to recognise their mistakes and change their behaviour before offending becomes a pattern.
