underage sex - is this a crime???, page-19

According to the laws of nature, puberty is the coming of age. The age of puberty varies widely and there seems to be variations between different races and also between different regions, kids in warmer climates tend to mature faster than kids in colder climates. In addition it appears as if modern kids are maturing faster than previous generations, perhaps due to improved diet and health. I believe each culture has determined the appropriate age either by allowing nature to determine the correct age on an individual basis or by legislating a minimum age that is appropriate in most cases or errs on the side of caution as we have done. Either way it is a matter for each society and culture to determine and other societies should try and understand the reasoning in each case and stop trying to impose their values on others.