You’ll see from this link where full adult justice v. responsibility kicks in
Japan 20 v 15
China 18 v 14
Brazil 18 v 12
Sweden 18 v 15

In that context, NZ does not appear to be at the top end of our peers at all. (NB there is not data there for US, Australia, UK etc.)

Funny though that our secular leftist leadership seem to regard youngsters as OK for screwing at the age of 12, and are trying by hook or by crook to make this happen by nonparliamentary methods if they can’t actually legislate for it.

“I said at the time that I wondered whether this should mean the age of full criminal responsibility should be increased”

Ok, I sort of get the difference between criminal responsibility and adult criminal responsibility, but where did “full criminal responsibility” come from?

But I also like Tim Barclay’s comment that perhaps recidivist offenders below that age are handled through a different (tougher) system.

I look forward to hearing the Green position on this, hopeful that they want to lower the age of adult criminal responsibility to 16, not raise it to 18. Adult minimum wage at 16, vote at 16, surely this is next?

For me, when the discussion over the drinking age was going ’round, I wanted it to stay 18, because, I decided, that’s when you became an adult, and should be forced to take responsibility for bad decisions (even if your brain was still growing and you did irreparable damage by drinking etc.). I said at the time that I wondered whether this should mean the age of full criminal responsibility should be increased – I wasn’t a fan of the obvious answer.

You’d have to expect National to have a fairly robust law & order platform in the election next year – when 96? per cent of the population vote in a referendum for sterner sentences then raising the age of criminal responsibility seems out of touch, and likely to cost you votes if there’s an alternative that’s more in step with what the public want …

Visit a Court house where you see the ever so young ages of offenders, but what the hell , as the judiciary and cops are a pathetic joke. Youth Court is a laughable deterrent , however that suits the dysfunctional government systems who are mass producing the so -called me generation . These delinquent kids are the product of a modern depraved philosophy endorsed by the freak show labour gummint who just love advocating a lifesytle that says , if it feels good – do it . After all New Zealand is well known for non accountabiluity and the total absence of culpability of individuals , for example , Helen Clark can do a 100 mph through small rural communities endangering lives and Trevor Mallard can stage lets maul a smart alec in parliament . etc…etc… These insane politician people are role models from the gallery of the absurd .

Why does New Zealand, the land of twisted politicians continue to put this country out of step with the common sense world ? Who said kiwiland wasn’t a Klark utopianism and cess -pit of corruption where children fail !!