Legislative debates intensify over juvenile criminal responsibility in Colombia and Panama

Debates regarding juvenile criminal responsibility are intensifying in Colombia and Panama as lawmakers and citizens weigh the severity of crimes committed by minors against existing rehabilitation frameworks.

In Colombia, Law 1098 of 2006 establishes a system for adolescents aged 14 to 18, focusing on pedagogical measures and resocialization while allowing for detention in specialized centers for specific crimes. The discussion centers on whether these measures are sufficient for high-impact crimes such as homicide, balancing the need for rehabilitation with public demands for stricter sanctions.

In Panama, Deputy Jairo Salazar has called for a revision of legislation to harden penalties for youth involved in criminal gangs. Salazar proposed lowering the age of criminal responsibility to as young as 10 or 12 years old, arguing that older adolescents possess the cognitive capacity to understand their actions. He emphasized that the goal is to prevent criminal organizations from using the legal immunity of minors as a shield for committing murders.