What is criminal responsibility

[Cool-Breeze]

What is criminal responsibility I am doing a law degree and just need to get a general idea, in terms of social change and public opinion

[sandyRoe]

If you're studying law shouldn't you be the one to be telling us?

[factor-fiction]

Do you have any law text books or access to the web?

[aelmpvw]

I don't believe it exists any more

[factor-fiction]

http://www.enotes.com...y-historical-concepts

[factor-fiction]

Maybe aelmpvw is right- a criminal act is always someone else's fault

[sandyRoe]

you need 'mens rea' to take the blame

[FredPuli43]

Do you mean the age of criminal responsibility? It's 10 years of age, though there has been a campaign to raise it to 14, It was 8 before it was 10. The age at which a child is held capable of a crime for which he or she is responsible in law for their actions. Are you asking for views on whether or not it should be raised?

Or are you asking whether the circumstances of a defendant, his mental state or other factors, should prevent him being held responsible for his otherwise criminal actions,and what those circumstances should be? .

[tonywiltshire]

When you reach 10 you will lose the immunity from criminal prosecution, you will no doubt be aware of the much quoted Walters v Lunt, in civil law you are responsible from birth but until the age of 18 a next or litigation friend would be used.
In your first year, at the latest, you will have learnt that it is generally necessary to prove mens rea (a guilty mind), the state of mind that the prosecution must generally prove a defendant to have had at the time of committing a crime. You will find your own research is the way much knowledge is gained and research never stops good luck.