The government of Javier Milei issued a decree on Monday formally regulating Argentina’s new Youth Criminal Regime, which lowers the threshold for criminal responsibility from 16 to 14 years of age.
Decree 875/2026, published in the Official Gazette, sets out how the system will operate and establishes mechanisms for the supervision of the minors and coordination between government agencies.
The Youth Criminal Regime, which formally took effect on September 5, replaces the framework in force since 1980. Adolescents aged 14 to 17 can now be prosecuted and, depending on the offense, sentenced for crimes established in the Criminal Code.
However, they will remain subject to a special criminal justice system separate from the adult one.
The reform was initially proposed in June 2024 by then Security Minister Patricia Bullrich and Justice Minister Mariano Cúneo Libarona. It was sanctioned by Congress in February 2026, when the Senate gave final approval to the bill, which became Law 27.801.
