AN absurd bidding war has broken out over the minimum age of criminal responsibility, currently 10 in Northern Ireland, one of the lowest in the world.

Alliance justice minister Naomi Long wants it raised to 14, in line with international practice. The DUP and the TUV want it kept at 10.

UUP justice spokesman Doug Beattie submitted an amendment to Mrs Long’s Justice Bill to raise it to 12, then withdrew it after his party leader, Jon Burrows, told him off. The UUP is having its own problems with juvenile delinquency.

People Before Profit has submitted an amendment to raise the age to 16 with no exceptions (exceptions for serious crimes are common – the age in the Republic is 12, but 10-year-olds can be charged with murder, manslaughter or rape).

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Sinn Féin wants it raised to 14, with a long-term goal of 16.

Many campaign groups are calling for 16, but their long-term goal is 18.

Although there are genuine concerns behind this argument, much of it is posturing that misses the point.

Only a tiny number of young people encountering the criminal justice system face any meaningful criminal sanction. Most are treated as they would be under a non-criminal approach, while still knowing they are not above the law.

At any given time there are just 10 under-18s in custody in Northern Ireland, all in the specialist Woodlands centre in Bangor.

Eight will be on remand, so speeding up the system could get the total number in prison down to two. That would be a better focus for political and campaigning efforts.

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The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster has recommended the PSNI establish a cadet scheme to reach out to young people and address under-representation of Catholics and other groups.

The committee, comprising MPs from national and Northern Ireland parties, notes this is one of the few........

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