Residents of São Paulo advocate for lowering the age of criminal responsibility.
The number of residents of São Paulo who agree with lowering the age at which a teenager should be held criminally responsible from 18 to 16 has risen to 93%.
247 – In the context of a public security crisis in São Paulo, the vast majority of residents declare themselves in favor of reducing the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16.
According to a Datafolha survey of 600 people, 93% of residents of the city of São Paulo agree with the reduction. Another 6% are against it, and 1% did not know how to answer.
In previous polls, in 2003 and 2006, approval of the measure by city residents was 83% and 88%, respectively -- the margin of error was two points.
Regarding the age at which a teenager should be held criminally responsible, 35% believe that young people aged 13 to 15 should be considered adults under the law. 9% believe that even those under 13 should receive this treatment.
Among the options regarding what would be most effective in reducing crime, 42% say that creating more efficient public policies for young people would be ideal. Another 52% state that reducing the age of criminal responsibility would already imply an improvement in crime rates. There are also 5% who believe that both measures are necessary.