Piaget’s theory of cognitive development demonstrates the process by which a child can establish a mental model. According to Piaget cognitive development in children is not a fixed trait but a process which happens as a result of biological interaction and maturation. The process of child development was described into four stages, and according to the fourth stage which majorly discusses the development after about the age of 12, logical reasoning is possible. The formal operational phase is composed of abstract reasoning (Genie, 2003). At this stage, the child is over twelve years, and Piaget suggests that they genuinely understand the meaning of justice and when they are asked to explain, they can do it diligently. According to the explanation provided by Piaget, after twelve years since a child understands the meaning of justice and can explain it correctly, it implies that they know the difference between wrong and right. A child who can differentiate between wrong and right should know that murder is wrong and hence understand that murder is a crime.

Q2

At the age of twelve, a child understands the consequences that one is likely to face when they commit a crime. At this age, a child should be held accountable for crime and be arrested by the police to be held in the juvenile prison (John & Lakshmi-Ratan, 1992). A person at the age of twelve can understand the difference between right and wrong since they can apply abstract reasoning to a situation. When the child becomes callous of circumstances to continue with an illegal act, then the child had the intention of committing such a crime (Documentary & Discovery HD Channel Official, 2017). Murder is a crime, and when a child at the age of 12 comprehends the meaning of justice, they are aware that murder is not right and can be punished for justice. Therefore, the youngest cutoff age should be twelve years for holding a person accountable for a crime of murder.

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