TY - JOUR
T1 - Young People and the Justice System: Consideration of Maturity in Criminal Responsibility
AU - Bryan-Hancock, Claire
AU - Casey, Sharon
PY - 2011/2
Y1 - 2011/2
N2 - The age of majority determines when a young person is considered adult in the eyes of the law, and in many countries this is set at 18 years. This does not take into account the differing ways and time-frames in which young people mature and develop. In justice systems in which individuals can be awarded leniency due to mental impairment, it becomes apparent that a similar justification can be made for issues surrounding maturity. This is of particular importance due to a growing trend in the Western world for young people to be tried as adults based on their crime, rather than their individual culpability. The aim of this review was to consider the interaction between maturity and criminal culpability.
AB - The age of majority determines when a young person is considered adult in the eyes of the law, and in many countries this is set at 18 years. This does not take into account the differing ways and time-frames in which young people mature and develop. In justice systems in which individuals can be awarded leniency due to mental impairment, it becomes apparent that a similar justification can be made for issues surrounding maturity. This is of particular importance due to a growing trend in the Western world for young people to be tried as adults based on their crime, rather than their individual culpability. The aim of this review was to consider the interaction between maturity and criminal culpability.
KW - Adolescence
KW - Criminal responsibility
KW - Juvenile justice
KW - Law
KW - Maturity
KW - Psychology
UR - http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a922777179~frm=titlelink
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79551615846&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13218711003739086
DO - 10.1080/13218711003739086
M3 - Article
SN - 1321-8719
VL - 18
SP - 69
EP - 78
JO - Psychiatry, Psychology and Law
JF - Psychiatry, Psychology and Law
IS - 1
ER -