“降低刑事责任年龄”论思考

Thoughts on"Reducing the Age of Criminal Responsibility"

根据《中华人民共和国刑法》第十七条规定,不满14周岁的未成年人不负担刑事责任,这与近些年来犯罪低龄化的增长趋势形成鲜明对比,不断引起是否应当降低刑事责任年龄的论潮。在我国,降低刑事责任年龄有事实基础和法律依据。降低刑事责任年龄虽非治本之策,却是当务之急,有比较法上的依据,符合马克思主义法学的要求,并不违背我国“保护未成年人”的刑事政策,是遏制低龄未成年人犯罪的有效途径之一。降低刑事责任年龄并非断腕治疮,饮鸩止渴,而是与时俱进。

According to Article 17 of the Criminal law of the people′s Republic of China,children under 14 years of age do not bear criminal responsibility,a stark contrast to the sharp increase in the age of crime in recent years,which once caused a wave of debate about whether the age of criminal responsibility should be reduced.In our country,there is a factual and legal basis for reducing the age of criminal responsibility.Although reducing the age of criminal responsibility is not a permanent solution,it is a matter of urgency and has comparative legal basis.It is based on comparative law,and conforms to the requirements of Marxist law and does not violate China′s criminal policy of"protecting juveniles",and it is an effective way to curb the crime of juveniles;Reducing the age of criminal responsibility is neither to break the wrists and cure ulcers,nor to stop thirst by drinking poison,but to advance with the times.