Argentina debates lowering juvenile criminal responsibility age

Legislative changes regarding the age of criminal responsibility are causing debate in Argentina. In Mendoza, the Chamber of Deputies approved a new Juvenile Criminal Regime by a 32-10 vote, lowering the age of criminal liability from 16 to 14 years.

In Entre Ríos, Maximiliano Benítez, head of the Ministry of Public Defense, criticized the legal trend of reducing the age of punisability. Benítez argued that the primary issue is not just the age reduction, but that the law fails to differentiate between adolescents and adults. He noted that under the new standards, minor incidents such as schoolyard threats could escalate into full criminal proceedings. Benítez cited neuroscientific evidence to argue that the capacity to understand consequences differs significantly between a 14-year-old and an adult, a distinction he claims the current legal framework lacks.