ZNAČAJ KARAKTERISTIKA MALOLETSTVA I KRIMINOLOŠKIH KARAKTERISTIKA MALOLETNIH UČINILACA KRIVIČNIH DELA U ODREĐIVANJU STAROSNE GRANICE KRIVIČNE ODGOVORNOSTI

Abstract

Due to certain cases of very serious crimes committed by juveniles that disturbed the public, the questioning of the age limit of criminal responsibility, in the sense of lowering it below 14 years, is once again becoming an actual topic. There are numerous arguments both for and against lowering the age limit of criminal responsibility, and some of them refer to changes in the characteristics of juveniles, in terms of the earlier maturation of juveniles in modern times, as well as to changes in the criminological characteristics of juvenile perpetrators of criminal offenses, in terms of changes in the structure of juvenile crime and an increase in the number of criminal offenses committed by persons aged 14, i.e. at the "lower" limit of criminal responsibility. Respecting both arguments, we think it is useful to point out the characteristics of juveniles and the criminological characteristics of juvenile perpetrators of criminal acts, as factors that are inherent in every society and represent a starting point when deciding at what age to set the "lower" age limit of criminal responsibility. It is precisely these characteristics that should be reviewed before making a decision on possibly lowering the age limit of criminal responsibility.