Currently 16- and 17-year-olds can appear before an adult court rather than Scotland's children's hearing system, which has a greater focus on welfare.
But an Action for Children panel of youth justice experts says that with the exception of those charged with serious crimes, most young offenders in this age bracket should still be treated as children.
Action for Children Scotland wants to see its proposal added to the Scottish Government's Children's Hearings Bill, which was published late last month.
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