Legislation Approved to Penalize Recruitment of Minors in Crime
New law establishes prison sentences for adults recruiting minors for criminal activities.
This week, legislators approved on first debate a bill that establishes a prison sentence for adults who recruit minors to commit or participate in serious crimes.
The proposed legislation adds a new article to the Penal Code, Article 281 ter, creating a new criminal offense aimed at prosecuting and punishing criminal organizations that enlist adolescents to carry out offenses, including murder.
The initiative specifies that the penalty would range from four to six years for an adult recruiting a minor who is an author, co-author, or participant in the commission of serious crimes.
However, the punishment escalates to four to eight years if the recruiter physically assaults, intimidates, or threatens the minor, their family, or exploits conditions of poverty, educational exclusion, or irregular immigration status to coerce the minor into committing criminal acts.
The proposal was spearheaded by legislator Alejandra Larios of the National Liberation Party (PLN), who emphasized the urgent need to combat the increasing involvement of minors in criminal activity across the country.
Data from the Juvenile Criminal Prosecutor's Office, referenced in the bill's justification, indicates a rising trend of adolescents aged 16 to 17 participating in criminal groups.
Randall Zúñiga, director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), also cited in the bill's justification, reported that minors are entering the criminal world as young as 12 years old, particularly those who are excluded from the educational system and are in socially vulnerable situations.
"These are individuals who do not possess full maturity, and the law treats them differently.
Criminals are aware of this and exploit it; they recruit them and make them part of their criminal groups," the bill states.
Alejandra Larios highlighted the necessity of criminalizing the recruitment of minors in the criminal sphere, noting that while minors are processed by juvenile criminal justice, their recruiters currently face no penalties.
"With this qualification, we will have a very important tool against organized crime," stated Larios.
The proposed legislation adds a new article to the Penal Code, Article 281 ter, creating a new criminal offense aimed at prosecuting and punishing criminal organizations that enlist adolescents to carry out offenses, including murder.
The initiative specifies that the penalty would range from four to six years for an adult recruiting a minor who is an author, co-author, or participant in the commission of serious crimes.
However, the punishment escalates to four to eight years if the recruiter physically assaults, intimidates, or threatens the minor, their family, or exploits conditions of poverty, educational exclusion, or irregular immigration status to coerce the minor into committing criminal acts.
The proposal was spearheaded by legislator Alejandra Larios of the National Liberation Party (PLN), who emphasized the urgent need to combat the increasing involvement of minors in criminal activity across the country.
Data from the Juvenile Criminal Prosecutor's Office, referenced in the bill's justification, indicates a rising trend of adolescents aged 16 to 17 participating in criminal groups.
Randall Zúñiga, director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), also cited in the bill's justification, reported that minors are entering the criminal world as young as 12 years old, particularly those who are excluded from the educational system and are in socially vulnerable situations.
"These are individuals who do not possess full maturity, and the law treats them differently.
Criminals are aware of this and exploit it; they recruit them and make them part of their criminal groups," the bill states.
Alejandra Larios highlighted the necessity of criminalizing the recruitment of minors in the criminal sphere, noting that while minors are processed by juvenile criminal justice, their recruiters currently face no penalties.
"With this qualification, we will have a very important tool against organized crime," stated Larios.
