COMPARE
Different places draw the line for criminal responsibility at different ages and under different rules. Here we compare three lanes: China after its 2020 amendment, U.S. states with fixed minimum ages, and jurisdictions that rely on very low or capacity-based thresholds.
Three Lanes Captions:
CHINA
Post‑Amendment XI
Full liability at 16; 14–15 for specified serious violent offenses;
12–13 only in extraordinarily egregious homicide/serious‑injury
cases with high-level approval.
U.S.
Fixed Minimums
Many states set floors at 10–12 (e.g., 12 in CA/MA/DE/NY—with narrow homicide
exceptions under 12 in NY). Screening varies by state.
U.S.
No/Low Minimum or
Capacity-Based
Some set very low floors (e.g., 7–8) or use capacity presumptions;
capacity hearings or rebuttal standards often gatekeep prosecutions for younger children.
