Articles of category "Defense of infancy"

Perhaps you have heard of the defense of infancy laws. These laws are designed to keep small children from being called as defendants in an adult court of law. Children in many states cannot be held responsible for criminal offenses. It is because of the defense of infancy laws that many children are not exploited to commit serious crimes by adults. It is also because of these laws that most states have a juvenile court system.

There are certain laws that prevent a child from being charged with a crime under certain circumstances. These laws are considered to be part of the defense of infancy, which prohibits the charging of a person who has not reached the age of criminal responsibility. Among the reasons for this law is the fact that a child or minor in the eyes of the law are not psychologically capable of literally performing an actual crime. Of course, there are exceptions to these laws which are only determined in a court room.