Sociology
The Social Construction of Childhood Innocence
Quick fact
In many Western legal systems, children under a certain age cannot be held criminally liable because of an irrebuttable presumption of 'doli incapax'—a belief in their inherent innocence that has no biological basis and varies dramatically across cultures and history.
Why this is interesting
You probably believe children are naturally innocent and need special protection—but what if that belief is a recent invention that has quietly shaped how our courts treat kids?