4.3.6
Criminal Responsibility
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Age of Criminal Responsibility
The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is 10 years old. Courts give different sentences to young offenders who are aged 10-17. For example:

ASBOs and fines
- ASBOs (antisocial behaviour orders):
- Anyone over 10 can be given one if they are antisocial.
- Fine:
- Those who are under 16, parents are responsible for paying the fine.

Referral order
- Referral order:
- The offender needs to attend a panel and agree to make up for what they’ve done.
- This can last from 3 months to a year.
- The aim is that the offender improves their behaviour.

Custodial sentence
- Custodial sentence:
- Offenders might receive it but they are only imposed if it’s a serious incident.
- The aim of these is to ensure that offenders won’t offend again - it is seen as rehabilitation.

Custodial sentence cont.
- In the case a young person who is convicted of a serious offence the Crown Court may consider them as a significant risk of serious harm to the public and pass a sentence of detention for life or a longer sentence of detention.

Youth rehabilitation order
- Youth rehabilitation order:
- A community sentence.
- E.g. curfew, drug treatment etc.
1The Sociological Approach
1.1Introduction to Sociology
1.2Sociological Approaches
1.3The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate
2Families
2.1Functions of Families
2.2Family Forms
2.3Conjugal Role Relationships
2.4Changing Relationships Within Families
2.5Criticisms of Families
3Education
3.1Roles & Functions of Education
3.2Processes Within Schools
4Crime & Deviance
4.1The Social Construction of Crime
4.2Social Control
4.3Criminal & Deviant Behaviour
5Social Stratification
5.1Social Stratification
5.2Poverty as a Social Issue
6Sociological Research Methods
6.1Research Methods
6.1.1Research Design6.1.2The Scientific Method6.1.3Other Considerations6.1.4Primary Sources6.1.5Secondary Sources6.1.6Surveys6.1.7Sampling6.1.8Questionnaires6.1.9Interviews6.1.10Observation6.1.11Statistics6.1.12Case Studies6.1.13Longitudinal Studies6.1.14Ethnography6.1.15Experiments6.1.16Small Scale Research6.1.17End of Topic Test - Research Methods
Jump to other topics
1The Sociological Approach
1.1Introduction to Sociology
1.2Sociological Approaches
1.3The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate
2Families
2.1Functions of Families
2.2Family Forms
2.3Conjugal Role Relationships
2.4Changing Relationships Within Families
2.5Criticisms of Families
3Education
3.1Roles & Functions of Education
3.2Processes Within Schools
4Crime & Deviance
4.1The Social Construction of Crime
4.2Social Control
4.3Criminal & Deviant Behaviour
5Social Stratification
5.1Social Stratification
5.2Poverty as a Social Issue
6Sociological Research Methods
6.1Research Methods
6.1.1Research Design6.1.2The Scientific Method6.1.3Other Considerations6.1.4Primary Sources6.1.5Secondary Sources6.1.6Surveys6.1.7Sampling6.1.8Questionnaires6.1.9Interviews6.1.10Observation6.1.11Statistics6.1.12Case Studies6.1.13Longitudinal Studies6.1.14Ethnography6.1.15Experiments6.1.16Small Scale Research6.1.17End of Topic Test - Research Methods
Practice questions on Criminal Responsibility
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