Ex-school torched

13-year-olds could be punished

The former music school in Vöcklabruck burned to the ground.

(Bild: Matthias Lauber)

Four girls, only 13 years old and therefore of criminal age, started a fire in Vöcklabruck. The former music school was badly damaged and the damage is enormous. The girls have nothing to fear from a criminal point of view, but there could be trouble on the civil side.

Because they thought it was "fun and exciting", according to their statements to the police, four girls (all 13 years old) set fire to the former music school in Vöcklabruck on Wednesday evening - the "Krone" reported. More than 100 firefighters battled the flames for six hours. No one was injured, the damage to property is estimated at several hundred thousand euros.

Compensation is at stake
Although the igniters are not yet 14 years old and therefore not of criminal age, they could be "sentenced" - to pay compensation. Silvia Dullinger, Professor of Civil Law at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz, explains that, in principle, they are only capable of committing an offense from the age of 14: "However, there is an exception rule, known as equitable liability." If minors are capable of recognizing the danger and unlawfulness of their behaviour, they can also be held liable, according to the lawyer.

Fire is dangerous
"Particularly in the case of arson, there have already been decisions where ten or twelve-year-olds have been found liable because it was said that Children are taught from an early age that playing with fire is dangerous." In such cases, however, it is first necessary to check whether the parents breached their duty of supervision and whether this led to the arson. "Then the supervisors are liable", says Dullinger.

If the parents have not breached their duty of supervision, they are not liable. At the age of 13, it is no longer necessary to monitor children at every turn.

Silvia Dullinger, Professorin für Zivilrecht an der JKU Linz

Offenders are getting younger and younger
In Vöcklabruck, the young female igniters are certainly a topic of conversation. Mayor Peter Schobesberger (SPÖ) speaks of a "worrying" development: "We are noticing that the age limits are shifting downwards - for all kinds of crimes and behavioral problems." Regarding the discussion about the age of criminal responsibility, the local leader says: "I'm not of the opinion that children should be locked up. But it won't work without consequences."

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Weder verharmlosen noch einsperren

108 firefighters battling flames on a voluntary basis for six hours in the middle of the night and hundreds of thousands of euros in material damage to a building that should have been converted into apartments in the near future - that is anything but "funny" and cannot be trivialized.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Harald Dostal)

When it comes to the crucial question of how juvenile delinquency can be curbed, experts from the field repeatedly note one thing: Teenagers who commit crimes often lack stable relationships and contact persons. Many have nowhere to turn. So putting them in prison cannot be a solution.