This title was first published in 2002. Using a comparative and historical analysis of the relevant law and practice in England and Germany, this incisive volume examines the issue of whether there is still a need in modern society for an individual assessment of the criminal responsibility of children and young persons. After finding that the evidence suggests that there is a need, the author addresses the question of how these special rules could best be formulated and applied in practice. The book provides a thorough and comprehensive approach to this highly controversial issue, critically evaluating the recent abolition of the presumption of doli incapax in England and also providing valuable material on the German Law in this area.