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"Children aren't criminals" - CAC
A campaign group sponsored by The Just Umbrella, with the mission of raising the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 in England and Wales, Scotland and other legal systems within the European legal space. The campaign opened to public debate by a letter in The Times on the 19th of October 2007. It is supported by Child Law, the Howard League, the International Centre for Prison Studies, NACRO, The Prison Reform Trust, and the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers.
European Age of Criminal Responsibility
One of the problems to which little attention has so far been given is the lack of a common age of criminal responsibility within the European Union. It is quite well known that this age, which would appear to have varying consequences for children awaiting the determination of culpability, has a vast range varying from eight in Scotland to 18 in Belgium.
What has yet to be appreciated by the European Public is that the European arrest warrant framework contains as one of the mandatory grounds for refusal that the subject of the warrant is below the age of criminal responsibility in the executing country .What this will mean in practice is that young and mentally disturbed children may be detained in a strange land with no one to speak their language … read more (opens in new window)
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The Foreign Victim support initiative
It has been agreed that the first project for TJU would concentrate on the plight of European victims of violent crime (“Violent crime” includes all motor vehicle offences causing personal injury or death.).
The problems illustrated: Matthews case
Matthew Beard aged 11 was run over and killed on 10.07.2000 whilst on a summer holiday on the island of Menorca with his Dad and two brothers Joe and Sam. The driver admitted speeding, which reports later confirmed … read more (opens in new window)
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Alternatives to custody for foreigners
Tens of thousands of Europeans at any one time are imprisoned, simply because there is no EU's system for ensuring their freedom, while natives go free.
On Bail (provisional liberty), alone. It was estimated in a recent study completed under the auspices of the European commission that at any one time 8000 citizens were remanded in foreign prisons when they might have got bail. Figures are not available for those who, after conviction, would have got suspended sentences, probation or other non-custodial alternatives to prison if they had been natives.
Yet further measures are required to insure that foreigners get parole on the same terms as natives after serving due for to their terms in custody … read more (opens in new window)
Please check back regularly for new future projects which will be added here as they are identified.
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