A child under what age cannot be arrested or charged?

• A. 6 years old or younger
• B. 7 years old or younger
• C. 8 years old or younger
• D. 9 years old or younger

Answer: (A)

The key idea is age of criminal responsibility—the point at which a child can be held legally accountable for a crime. In this scenario, the rule is that a child under six cannot be arrested or charged, because they are considered not capable of understanding wrongdoing or forming the intent required for criminal liability. That’s why the correct choice is six years old or younger: it sets the cutoff at six, meaning anyone younger cannot be charged and would be handled through protective or welfare measures instead.

The other options would raise the cutoff age, implying that children older than six could not be charged, which doesn’t fit the rule described here.