North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of Justice, Benjamin Limbach (Greens), defended the application of juvenile criminal law for young adults up to the age of 20. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, Limbach argued that research clearly shows that the development of brain areas responsible for evaluating and potentially stopping one’s own actions is not complete by age 18, and frequently not even by age 21-often not until the mid-twenties. He considers it appropriate to examine and account for this developmental transition period between ages 18 and 20. He stated that juvenile criminal law is scientifically grounded. While acknowledging that serious crimes often stir up public concern, he maintained that the fundamental arguments supporting the use of juvenile law remained valid, regardless of the public debate on how to handle young offenders. Furthermore, Limbach clarified that judges make the independent decision whether or not to apply the law, and it is not his role to evaluate those decisions. However, he stressed that even under juvenile law, harsh, long-term prison sentences are possible, and young people can be held in pre-trial detention. For those aged 18 and older, the same legal requirements as those for adults apply.
Politics
