Juvenile Justice Responsibility Act of 2020 - Saxenheim

Rationale

Raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 better aligns with adolescent brain development and reduces unnecessary juvenile justice involvement, benefiting both youth and communities: throwing a 12 or 13 years old in a juvenile prison is not the best way to reform a kid.

Proposed Changes

	Law	Previous		Proposed
1	Age of Criminal Responsibility	From age 12		From age 14

1

Age of Criminal Responsibility

Previous law

From age 12

From age 14

Proposer

Party

Alliance For Digital Freedom And Rights

ADFR is a centre-to-centre-left, social-liberal party. We advocate for an open and neutral Internet, strong privacy rights, a digital PA and an eco-social market economy. We focus on white-collar professionals and innovative companies, ensuring technology expands freedom and opportunities for all.

Core pillars

Ingrid Jung

Activist · Age 66

7,954 social followers

A 55-year-old media darling with a rebellious streak, Ingrid Jung left her corporate law career to lead protests against digital surveillance, blending fiery rhetoric with unconventional stunts that have made her both a thorn in the establishment’s side and a magnet for supporters.

✨ Charismatic 🎭 Eccentric 📺 Media Savvy 🌍 Outsider 🔥 Firebrand

Timeline

Draft

26 February 2020
Vote Open

26 February 2020
Vote Closed

26 April 2020
Became Law

26 April 2020

Vote tally

Live tally across each chamber. Weighted by seats held.

Bundesrat

Passed

47Yes 10No 12Not voted 69 seats

For: 47 / 69 seats (68.1%)

Against: 10 · Abstained: 0 · Not voted: 12

50.1% of those voting must vote in favour (actual = 82.5%)

Party	Seats	Vote	Reason
Alliance For Digital Freedom And Rights Proposer	14	Yes	No reason given
Competence And Freedom	12	Yes	C&F supports this bill. Immature children cannot reasonably be held to the same standards as an adult, and putting problematic 12-year-olds in prison solves none of their underlying issues.
Left Forward	21	Yes	Criminological research has long shown that juvenile offending is usually ubiquitous, episodic and often limited to minor offences. For most young people, it declines naturally as they grow older. That is why juvenile justice should focus first and foremost on education and rehabilitation. A criminal record at the age of twelve rarely changes a life for the better. Guidance and support have a much better chance of doing so.
Saxenheim Workers’ Union	10	No	The justice system must maintain clear standards of responsibility and accountability. Raising the age of criminal responsibility risks weakening deterrence and reducing the ability of the state to respond effectively to serious offenses committed by younger individuals. A strong legal framework should protect society while ensuring that consequences remain meaningful.
Empty seats	5	Not voted

Bundestag

Passed

446Yes 90No 114Not voted 650 seats

For: 446 / 650 seats (68.6%)

Against: 90 · Abstained: 0 · Not voted: 114

50.1% of those voting must vote in favour (actual = 83.2%)

Party	Seats	Vote	Reason
Alliance For Digital Freedom And Rights Proposer	130	Yes	No reason given
Competence And Freedom	117	Yes	C&F supports this bill. Immature children cannot reasonably be held to the same standards as an adult, and putting problematic 12-year-olds in prison solves none of their underlying issues.
Left Forward	199	Yes	Criminological research has long shown that juvenile offending is usually ubiquitous, episodic and often limited to minor offences. For most young people, it declines naturally as they grow older. That is why juvenile justice should focus first and foremost on education and rehabilitation. A criminal record at the age of twelve rarely changes a life for the better. Guidance and support have a much better chance of doing so.
Saxenheim Workers’ Union	90	No	The justice system must maintain clear standards of responsibility and accountability. Raising the age of criminal responsibility risks weakening deterrence and reducing the ability of the state to respond effectively to serious offenses committed by younger individuals. A strong legal framework should protect society while ensuring that consequences remain meaningful.
Empty seats	52	Not voted

Voting record

Every vote must state a public reason. Most recent first.

Saxenheim Workers’ Union

Voted March 9, 2020

No

“The justice system must maintain clear standards of responsibility and accountability. Raising the age of criminal responsibility risks weakening deterrence and reducing the ability of the state to respond effectively to serious offenses committed by younger individuals. A strong legal framework should protect society while ensuring that consequences remain meaningful.”

Left Forward

Voted March 2, 2020

Yes

“Criminological research has long shown that juvenile offending is usually ubiquitous, episodic and often limited to minor offences. For most young people, it declines naturally as they grow older. That is why juvenile justice should focus first and foremost on education and rehabilitation. A criminal record at the age of twelve rarely changes a life for the better. Guidance and support have a much better chance of doing so.”

Competence And Freedom

Voted Feb. 26, 2020

Yes

“C&F supports this bill. Immature children cannot reasonably be held to the same standards as an adult, and putting problematic 12-year-olds in prison solves none of their underlying issues.”