Abstract

This article considers how the 1997 New Labour election has changed what it means to hold children criminally responsible in the criminal law. In order to do so,this article will focus on
examining New Labour's decision to abolish the
longstanding doctrinal defence of doli incapax via asking whether the abolition of the doctrine of doli incapax was necessary and founded upon proper grounds given the low age of criminal responsibility imposed. As a result of such an enquiry it will be revealed legal academics are still questioning the doctrine's existence in the criminal law more than 15 years after its abolition.