Jughead Jughead:
I believe in the U.S. in some states you could be charged for a crime at the age of 6. For Federal crimes the lower age limit is 11. In Canada, you can't be charged for a crime under the age of 12.
Sean Sellers was executed in Oklahoma for three murders committed at 16.
Nathanial Abraham was sentenced in Michigan for a shooting committed at 11.
Jughead Jughead:
Charging someone as young as 6 does sound a little harsh. At that age, the child may not be able to fully understand the consequences associated with his actions. In my opinion, I believe no one under 9 or 10 should be charged with a crime. Even then, those charged need to be evaluated to ensure they are mature enough to understand the charges. For those too young to be charged, they should be required to attend reform school.
I don't know why we need to have an arbitrary age at which we declare someone criminally responsible. Criminal responsibility can be determined on a case-by-case basis, just as it is in insanity-defense cases. I could be wrong, but I think I knew right from wrong well before age 11. I'm sure there's some very young children who commit very serious, violent offenses who should be held criminally responsible. Probably not a lot, but our legal system could easily allow for that possibility.
Reform school sounds good in theory, but experience tells us the guards at residential training schools almost always end up buggering the inmates, which more than undoes any possible rehabilitation that was expected.