Chile moves to tighten penalties for teenage offenders

The murder of 12‑year‑old Alejandro in San Bernardo has reignited debate in the Chilean Congress over the Ley de Responsabilidad Penal Adolescente. Lawmakers are pushing to accelerate legislation that would allow adolescents aged 16 and 17 to be tried as adults for any of 17 serious offences, provided a prosecutor’s request is approved by a judge. The proposal also raises the maximum custodial sentence for minors under 16 to ten years and mandates their transfer to a Gendarmería facility upon reaching adulthood.

The government, while endorsing tougher sanctions, has ruled out a general reduction of the criminal‑responsibility age, which currently stands at 14. Parallel parliamentary initiatives seek to lower the age to 13 or even 12, but those have been rejected for now. Officials cite rising numbers of youths linked to criminal organisations as justification for the stricter measures.

Internationally, Chile’s age of responsibility aligns with UN recommendations, and other Latin‑American nations such as Brazil and Ecuador set the floor at 12 but retain adult accountability at 18. Evidence from these countries shows mixed outcomes, prompting experts to urge policies grounded in comprehensive data rather than reactive reforms.