PAN Moves to Try 15–17-Year-Olds as Adults for Specific Serious Crimes
Party leaders will take a state-filed proposal to the Senate for open expert hearings to argue that current juvenile penalties do not respond to recent high‑profile violent cases.
Overview
- A formal reform was filed in Querétaro by PAN mayor Josué Guerrero Trápala to change federal law so 15‑ to 17‑year‑olds who commit homicide, feminicide, rape or kidnapping would face penalties comparable to adults.
- PAN’s Senate leadership has said it will promote the measure in the Senate and hold Parlamento Abierto sessions to hear penal, sociological and psychological experts on the proposal.
- Proponents justify the change by citing recent high‑visibility cases in Baja California, Michoacán and Sonora and a party‑cited figure of more than 35,000 serious juvenile cases in 2024.
- No federal amendments have been adopted and the proposal remains politically active but legally unimplemented, with debates expected over proportionality, effectiveness and human‑rights implications.
- If advanced, the reform could raise adult‑style sentences for some adolescents and shift how Mexico’s juvenile justice system balances punishment, rehabilitation and public safety.