We are delighted to be able to share the report from the Age of Criminal Responsibility Advisory Group, of which CYCJ’s Fiona Dyer was a member and sub-group chair.
The Advisory Group recommended the age be increased to at least 14 as soon as possible, and then to 16 in the near future. The report is now with Scottish Ministers for consideration and next steps and CYCJ will continue to champion this increase to happen as soon as possible.
You can download the full report below.
Further information
An advisory group was established to assist Scottish ministers to undertake the statutory review to evaluate the operation of the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019, as well as to consider any future age of criminal responsibility. The three year review period started on the day on which section 1 of the Act came into force and concluded on 16 December 2024.
The Age of Criminal Responsibility Advisory Group and its four subgroups lead on the review of the current legislation and have determined the implications of any change to the age. This report sets out the learning and experience from three years since full commencement of the Act. It provides information, and perspectives, on community confidence, victim support, data and research, and the operational implications of any change to the current age – including what would be required by way of systems, structural and practice changes. This report also provides an update on the policy landscape, and how this has changed to build the scaffold of support children and young people need to grow up loved, safe and respected, making Scotland the best place to grow up.