The general rule is that children under seven years of age are not held criminally responsible for their conduct, but children fourteen and older are presumed to have the mental capacity to commit criminal offenses.

Question

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This general rule reflects the common legal principle of doli incapax, which presumes children under a certain age (often seven or below) lack the mental capacity to form the intent necessary for criminal responsibility. Conversely, by the age of fourteen, most legal systems presume that minors can be held responsible for their actions, assuming they have developed the requisite mental capacity.

The General Rule Is That Children Under Seven Years of Age