Call to raise age of criminal responsibility in Northern Ireland

Date: 27th May 2025
Category: Special protection measures, General principles, General measures of implementation

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Invisible Traffick is calling for the minimum age of criminal responsibility in Northern Ireland to be raised from 10 to 16, arguing that criminalising young children fails to protect them and ignores the reality of child exploitation.

In a new article Megan Phair from Invisible Traffick explains how children and young people are being drawn into crime by criminal gangs, often through grooming tactics involving gifts, promises, and manipulation. Invisible Traffick, which works directly with children through its education programmes, sees the damaging effects of this exploitation every day. The current law punishes children who are victims, not criminals, Invisible Traffick calls for a welfare-based approach that focuses on care and safeguarding rather than punishment, saying that children involved in crime often come from vulnerable backgrounds, including poverty, care, or mental health struggles, and are being targeted by those looking to exploit them. Raising the age of criminal responsibility would help shift the focus towards protecting children and tackling those who exploit them. Exploited children need support, not handcuffs.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in its most recent recommendations to the UK urged the UK Government to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years of age.

• Click here to read the full article