Year 8 - Citizenship
Deliberative discussion: Should the age of criminal responsibility be changed?
What is the law and how is it changed?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils explore what the law is and how criminal and civil laws are made. They examine what role citizens can have in changing the law and consider how the justice system should apply to young people.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to analyse and evaluate different perspectives on whether the age of criminal responsibility should be changed and form your own opinion based on evidence and reasoning.
Key Notes
- In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the age of criminal responsibility is ten and has remained the same since 1963.
- Some think the age of criminal responsibility should be raised, while others argue it should stay the same.
- In a deliberative discussion, we consider different viewpoints and can use the REAL model to structure our arguments.
Vocabulary To Learn
- law: rules, usually made by Parliament, that are used to order the way in which a society behaves
- age of criminal responsibility: the minimum age at which a person can be legally considered responsible for a crime
- crime: an illegal act that is punishable by law
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The age of criminal responsibility is the same worldwide.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the age of criminal responsibility is ten and has remained the same since 1963. Some think the age of criminal responsibility should be raised, while others argue it should stay the same.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'law'
rules, usually made by Parliament, that are used to order the way in which a society behaves.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: The age of criminal responsibility is the same worldwide. Correction: The age of criminal responsibility varies across countries. For example, in Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago it's seven, while in Spain it's 14.
More Lessons In This Unit
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