There are growing concerns that the law aimed at protecting minors is inadvertently becoming a shield for young offenders. The reasoning behind the law is simple: the government decided that age reflected maturity, and since their brains have yet to develop fully, they should be given second chances. However, this law, intended to protect the young, has backfired on adults.
Given the low risks, rebellious teenagers have been committing crimes repeatedly. Ranging from stealing to even murder, minors have been exempt from the punishments they should be receiving.
Lawyer Amadeo Peralta called for reform of the Juvenile Code. He says as it is, it provides excessive guarantees for crimes by minors. The lawyer is legal counsel for the victims of a 17-year old boy who struck three members of a family with his vehicle, including the mother who died, and daughters left in critical condition. The minor was only requested to periodically present himself before the investigating prosecutor who is preparing the charges. But if found guilty, the minor will face at most three years in jail, according to the present regulations.
The lawyer explained that in cases where a minor over 13 commits a serious crime, the maximum penalty is five years in a special regime. However, he criticized the Juvenile Code’s prohibition on media coverage of minors involved in crimes, arguing this hinders transparency and accountability.
Peralta said that drug traffickers exploit this protection, using minors to transport drugs as they face fewer consequences compared to adults. Finally, he criticized the traffic record of the minor being blocked from public access due to excessive privacy protections, arguing for a need to reform the system.
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Noticias SIN
8 May 2025