Murder has critics seeking tougher laws for juveniles

Prior to becoming a lawmaker, Hsieh was a senior judge with expertise in juvenile delinquency. She said that the 1997 amendment did not include stricter regulations, but instead focused on rehabilitating juvenile criminals.

"Why would an 11-year-old and a 15-year-old kill a person? I think that question is more important, isn't it?" she said. "I don't think there's any problem with our laws."

Municipal Juvenile Counseling Committee Director-General Wu Chang-o (吳嫦娥) said helping and protecting juvenile criminals is more important than simply punishing them.

"Most teenagers didn't know what they were doing when they broke the law. Strict laws may simply ruin their lives, which may not be the best solution to juvenile delinquency," she said.