# Lowering criminal age may be voted on this year

> Federal Deputy Mendonça Filho says Chamber of Deputies could vote on lowering criminal age by year-end.
- Title: Lowering criminal age may be voted on this year | Shortify
- Summary: Federal Deputy Mendonça Filho says Chamber of Deputies could vote on lowering criminal age by year-end.
- Keywords: chamber of deputies, criminal age, lowering age of criminal responsibility, federal deputy mendonca filho, workers party, senate, unicef, juvenile justice, brazil, valorinternational
- Source: valorinternational — https://valorinternational.globo.com/politics/news/2026/11/06/lowering-of-criminal-age-may-be-voted-on-this-year-rapporteur-says.ghtml
- Published: 2026-11-06T14:13:25.586+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: chamber of deputies, criminal age, lowering age of criminal responsibility, federal deputy mendonca filho, workers party, senate, unicef, juvenile justice, brazil, business, money
## Senate postpones criminal age vote
Senate delayed voting on lowering criminal age of responsibility after government agreement.
## Mendonça Filho as rapporteur
Federal Deputy Mendonça Filho (Liberal Party, PL) leads proposal to lower criminal age to 16.
## Mendonça Filho's position
Mendonça supports lowering age to 16 for all crimes but may adjust based on lawmakers' views.

> Personally, I support 16 for all types of crime, not just heinous crimes. But we’ll talk
## Senate amendment proposals
Senate proposed lowering age to 14 for heinous crimes and 16 for all crimes in different versions.
## Public hearings planned
Committee will hold 8-10 public hearings with half participants supporting age lowering.
## UNICEF's stance
UNICEF says lowering criminal age doesn't reduce violence and Brazil's system shows declining youth crime.

> We are contributing to the debate on the age of criminal responsibility and showing, based on evidence, that lowering it does not have the expected impact on public security
## Mendonça's timeline
Mendonça aims to present report by month-end and vote before year's end.

> It would be interesting to vote on it during this legislative term, with this makeup of Congress
## Key takeaway

Brazil's Chamber of Deputies may vote on lowering criminal age from 18 to 16 by year-end after Senate postponed vote.