Vorarlberg leaders renew call to lower age of criminal responsibility

Vorarlberg’s governing parties renewed calls to lower the age of criminal responsibility at a security summit in Bregenz on Tuesday, ORF reported. State Governor Markus Wallner said the law should allow authorities to respond according to a child’s age and the offence, particularly in cases involving repeat offenders.

Representatives of the state government, public authorities, police, courts and child and youth services took part in the two-hour meeting at the state government building. Participants described the discussion as constructive.

State Councillor for Security Markus Klien said he would also consider examining whether young offenders could be held in psychiatric care. District authority head Claudia Feurstein said officials were using all available measures, including child and youth services, security policing, work with parents and children, and support and care services.

Deputy State Police Director Mario Breuss said the discussion was not about young people who commit a single shoplifting offence, but about repeat offenders who commit serious crimes.

In Switzerland, children are criminally responsible from the age of 10, while prison sentences are possible only from 15. Authorities can place younger offenders in a closed residential group. At the Platanenhof youth home in the neighbouring canton of St Gallen, children attend lessons in the morning and work in a carpentry workshop in the afternoon. The building is locked. Three-quarters of the children and young people there have not committed an offence and were placed by the child and adult protection authority. Stays last up to four months, at a cost of about 860 euros per person per day.