Age-Related Rights and Responsibilities

Age-Related Rights and Responsibilities

• Age laws: Governments, through Parliament, set and change age limits. Recent trends show increasing ages for certain activities.
• Tobacco sale: The minimum age to buy tobacco was raised from 16 to 18 in 2007.
• Animal purchase: The legal age to purchase animals increased from 12 to 16 in 2006.
• Voting age: The voting age in England and Wales decreased from 21 to 18 in 1969. Scotland has a lower age, 16.

Age Laws (England & Wales)

• 14+: Allowed part-time work, entering bars (soft drinks only), and personal responsibility for wearing seatbelts.
• 15+: Can work up to 8 hours on Saturdays and view/rent/buy 15-rated films/games.
• 16+: Consent to medical/dental/surgical treatment, have sex, apply for legal aid, ride mopeds/glider, apply for passports, buy lottery tickets/pets, get married (with parental consent), or join armed forces; move out (with parental permission).
• 17+: Drive most vehicles, apply for private pilot's license, and donate blood.
• 18+: Vote, stand for election, serve on a jury, make a will, marry (without parental consent), view/rent/buy 18-rated content, buy cigarettes/fireworks/lottery/bet, attend casinos, get a tattoo, and buy alcohol.
• 21+: Can adopt a child, supervise learner drivers (with conditions), apply for commercial pilot's license, and drive heavy vehicles (lorries/buses).

Age of Criminal Responsibility

• England, Wales, and Northern Ireland: 10 years old. This means children under 10 cannot be arrested or charged with crimes, but other actions may be taken.
• James Bulger case: The case of two 10-year-olds who murdered a two-year-old child is a prominent example and was used to argue against raising the age of criminal responsibility. This case remains significant debate in the UK.
• Global differences: The age of criminal responsibility varies widely globally, from as low as 6 in some US states to older limits in other countries like France (17).

The Youth Justice System

• Purpose: Aiming to prevent juvenile crime.
• Process: Includes methods for prosecuting young offenders under 18, such as final warnings, community sentences, intensive supervision, and custody/training.

Different Types of Law

• Civil Law: Deals with disputes between individuals without criminal actions. Typically involves a claimant and a defendant. A common way to settle civil disputes.
• Criminal Law: The government uses it to prosecute those who break societal rules. It can be categorized into categories such as offenses against the person, theft, sexual offenses, harmful/dangerous drugs, criminal damage, firearms, immigration issues, and various other issues.

Areas of Civil Law

• Civil Law categories: A vast array of legal areas like tort law, tax law, shipping law, public law, consumer law, human rights law, employment law, family law, land law, intellectual property law, immigration law, EU law, insurance law, equity and trusts, environmental law, corporate law, construction, contract law, constitutional law, commercial law, private litigation, banking law, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
• Civil cases: Often resolved in the County Court; high-value cases go to High Court.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

• Definition: Methods of settling civil disputes outside a formal court. ADR typically does not involve litigation in court.
• Methods: Negotiation (direct discussion), mediation (third-party help), conciliation (third-party suggestion), and arbitration (third-party decision).
• Benefits: Often quicker, cheaper, and private (unlike court hearings).
• Drawbacks: Might involve costs from lawyers, or may not be legally binding.

Ombudsman

• Role: Appointed by parliament, investigate complaints against government departments, local councils, or specific industries.
• Examples of ombudsmen: Public Services Ombudsman, Parliamentary/Health Service Ombudsman, Finance, and Pensions Ombudsmen.