June 2022 Our response to the Scottish Government’s Children’s Care and Justice Bill Consultation.
Consultation response: Raising the Age of Referral to the Principal Reporter
January 2021. We responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on raising the age of referral to Children’s Hearings to include all children under the age of 18, including those in conflict with the law.
Audio clip: Children and young people’s report 2015-16— The age of criminal responsibility
October 2016.
Audio clip on the minimum age of criminal responsibility in Scotland.
Response to consultation on the Police Act 1997 and the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 Remedial Order 2015
September 2015
Former Commissioner Tam Baillie responds to a Scottish Government request for observations around the 2015 Remedial Order.
Consultation response: Proposed Draft Police Act 1997/Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 Remedial Order 2018
November 2017
The Commissioner’s office responds to a consultation on a draft Remedial Order.
Evidence to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee: Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill
November 2018
Evidence around the Bill that proposes to raise the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility from 8 to 12.
Consultation response: Protection of Vulnerable Groups and the Disclosure of Criminal Information
November 2017
The Commissioner’s office responds to this consultation on reforming the disclosure regime in Scotland.
Equalities and Human Rights Committee Call for Evidence: Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill
January 2019
Our evidence around the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill highlights proposals to revise a UN General Comment on juvenile justice.
Submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child: Draft revised General Comment No. 10 on children’s rights in juvenile justice
January 2019
Comments on proposed revisions to the Committee’s General Comment 10, including its recommendation that a minimum age of criminal responsibility of 14 should now be considered the absolute minimum standard.
MSP Briefing: International standard for the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility
May 2019
This briefing for MSPs reiterates 14 as the minimum acceptable international standard for the age of criminal responsibility.