Abstract

Children are living beings who have limitations and need protection from others. Definition of a child in criminal law, a child in conflict with the law hereinafter referred to as a child who is 12 (twelve) years old, but not reach 18 (eighteen) years old who is suspected of committing a crime. In the United Kingdom children age from zero years to 18 years.[1] In the United States, namely New York and Vermont, someone who has not reached the age of 16 is still referred to a juvenile court.[2]  In Scotland the child is a person aged 7 years to 15 years old so that someone is tried in a juvenile justice. In South Australia children aged 8 years to 18 years old and in Canada someone is under 12 years old.[3] There are differences in understanding of children of each country, due to differences in social influences of child development, because the social and cultural and economic activities of each country are different. Even though things have an influence on the level of maturity of a child. It shows that social influences, social and cultural activities must be the concern of the government and society to prevent children from becoming delinquent. According to Nicholas McBala[4]  childhood is a period of life development, also a period of limited ability to harm others. Status and condition of children in Indonesia is paradoxical. Ideally, children are the heirs and progressors of the nation's future. In real terms, the situation of Indonesian children is still and continues to deteriorate. The world of children that should be colored by play activities, learning and developing their interests and talents for the future, the reality is colored by dark and sad data.[5] Children still and continue to deal with the law both as victims and as perpetrators. This condition requires special attention from all components of society and the government to protect and supervise the growth of Indonesian children. So that children are not faced with the law because of doing deviant actions. The direction of legal policy aims to make law a rule that provides protection for the rights of citizens and guarantees future life in the future.[6]