Lift age of criminal responsibility: AMA

The Australian Medical Association is pushing push for the age of criminal responsibility to be lifted to 14 years.

Gavel with Minor spelled out in play letters, with paper child figure Source: iStockphoto

Doctors are calling for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised from 10 years to 14 years.

Australian Medical Association president Tony Bartone said this would prevent the unnecessary criminalisation of vulnerable children.

"Australia has one of the lowest ages of criminal responsibility in the world," he said on Monday.

Under the current regime, 10-year-olds can be dealt with by the criminal justice system and be charged, prosecuted and imprisoned.

Dr Bartone also said criminalisation of children was a national problem that disproportionately affected indigenous youth.