Discussion on Juvenile Accountability: CSU Responds to Actions of Minors in Zirndorf and Fürth
In the heart of Germany, a significant debate has arisen surrounding the age of criminal responsibility for minors. This renewed discussion is primarily driven by a series of recent incidents involving 12- to 14-year-olds, culminating in the Christian Social Union (CSU) submitting an application to the federal government. The CSU's proposal aims to lower the minimum age of criminal liability from 14 to 12 years.
The current age of criminal responsibility in Germany stands at 14 years. Below this age, minors are exempt from criminal prosecution under the German juvenile justice system. However, the CSU's application, if accepted, would mark a significant shift in juvenile justice policy, extending legal accountability to younger minors.
The proposed change has sparked a broader debate, reflecting tensions between safeguarding the welfare and developmental needs of minors and addressing public safety concerns arising from juvenile delinquency. The debate continues in political and social forums, with no final legislative change enacted as of mid-2025.
Supporters of lowering the age cite precedent from other European countries that have a criminal responsibility age around 12 years. The CSU's application also emphasises the importance of considering the victims' perspective in juvenile criminal law.
Recent incidents have highlighted the gravity of the issue. On the night of June 24 to 25, two 13-year-olds in Zirndorf and Cadolzburg caused a major deployment of police and fire brigade. They set a garden hut on fire, broke into a lottery shop, and caused considerable property damage in several areas. A small amount of drugs was also seized. Despite their involvement in these serious offenses, the suspected perpetrators were handed over to their legal guardians and will not be prosecuted due to their age.
Another incident involved a large trash can allegedly thrown from a fifth-floor balcony in Fürther Gebhardtstraße, causing a near-miss on a busy parking lot on March 19, 2025. The police are currently investigating four boys aged 12 to 14 for attempted manslaughter in this incident.
The CSU's stance is clear, as emphasised by Petra Guttenberger, a CSU member of the Bavarian state parliament. She argues that the rule of law only functions if the population feels there are consequences for serious offenses. Guttenberger also refers to a package of applications by the CSU faction in the Bavarian state parliament, which includes demands for an extension of the maximum duration of juvenile detention from four weeks to four months and a raise in the penalty range for particularly serious offenses by minors from ten to fifteen years.
The debate continues, with the federal government called upon to commission a study examining the compatibility of the existing criminal responsibility with the maturity process of today's youth. The outcome of this debate could significantly reshape the juvenile justice system in Germany.
- The proposal by the Christian Social Union (CSU) to lower the minimum age of criminal liability from 14 to 12 years in Germany has sparked a broader debate, encompassing policy-and-legislation and general-news, as well as crime-and-justice discussions, as it addresses public safety concerns and the complexity of juvenile delinquency.
- Supporters of the CSU's application argue for considering the victims' perspective in juvenile criminal law and cite precedents from other European countries with a criminal responsibility age around 12 years, suggesting a need for review and possible revision of the existing policy-and-legislation regarding juvenile justice in Germany.
