The Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility Across Central Eastern European Countries
Author/s: Gašparić, Asea,
Pages: 45-67
UDK: 343.22-053.6(4-191.2)
342.7-053.6(4-191.2)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47152/rkkp.62.3.3
Abstract: Apstrakt: Ovaj članak ispituje pravne okvire za maloletničko pravosuđe u Hrvatskoj, Srbiji, Sloveniji, Mađarskoj, Slovačkoj, Češkoj Republici i Poljskoj, sa fokusom na minimalnu starost krivične odgovornosti (MACR), kategorizaciju maloletnih prestupnika i primenljive pravne mere. Iako ove zemlje dele fokus na rehabilitaciju i razvojne aspekte, postoje značajne razlike u starosnim pragovima i tretmanu mladih prestupnika. MACR ostaje aktuelno pitanje oblikovano pravnim, razvojnim i društvenim faktorima. Dva glavna trenda se izdvajaju: jedan zagovara snižavanje starosne granice i strože kazne, dok drugi stavlja akcenat na prava dece i rehabilitaciju. Međunarodni standardi, kao što su oni iz Komiteta za prava deteta, promovišu diverzione programe kako bi se izbegla stigmatizacija, ali ne postoji globalni konsenzus o MACR-u. Pritisak za snižavanje MACR-a, primećen u Mađarskoj i Srbiji, suprotstavlja se neurološkim nalazima da potpuna zrelost nastupa tek u trećoj deceniji života. Holistički pristup koji integriše pravne, psihološke i razvojne perspektive neophodan je kako bi se postigla ravnoteža između odgovornosti, rehabilitacije i zaštite dečjih prava u sistemima maloletničkog pravosuđa. Abstract: This article examines the legal frameworks for juvenile justice across Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland, focusing on the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR), juvenile offender categorization, and applicable legal measures. While these countries share a focus on rehabilitation and developmental considerations, significant differences exist in age thresholds and the treatment of young offenders. The MACR is an ongoing issue, shaped by legal, developmental, and societal factors. Two main trends emerge: one advocates for lowering the age and imposing stricter punishments, while the other emphasizes children's rights and rehabilitation. International standards, such as those from the Committee on the Rights of the Child, promote diversion programs to avoid stigmatization, yet no global consensus exists on the MACR. Pressure to lower the MACR, as seen in Hungary and Serbia, contrasts with neuroscientific findings that full maturity occurs in the third decade of life. A holistic approach integrating legal, psychological, and developmental perspectives is essential to balance accountability, rehabilitation, and the protection of children's rights in juvenile justice systems.
Keywords: maloletničko pravosuđe, minimalna starost krivične odgovornosti, centralna evropa, prava dece; juvenile justice, minimum age of criminal responsibility, central europe, children’s rights
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