Submissions and Position Papers

Hong Kong Bar Association


Hong Kong Bar Association

 

16th September 2002

Mrs. Constance LI
Clerk to Bills Committee
Legislative Council Secretariat
3/F Citibank Tower
3 Garden Road
Central
Hong Kong

Dear Mrs. Li,

Re: The Juvenile Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2001

The Bar Association supports the proposed amendment of the law to raise the age of criminal responsibility from seven to ten years together with the retention of the rebuttable presumption in respect of incapacity for wrongdoing to the revised parameters of ten to fourteen years. In our view the upward revision of the age of criminal responsibility to ten years is a minimum step in the right direction. It remains our view, expressed to the Law Reform Commission on 26th March 1999, that an upward revision of the age of criminal responsibility to twelve years would be more appropriate.

Yours faithfully,


Michael Lunn, S.C.
Vice-Chairman