I knew what was right and wrong in my early teens and did not break the law. Th situation is do not break the law unless you are willing to face the bar of justice. And part of that in many cases is a lifetime record.
I knew what was right and wrong by the time I was eight. But right and wrong don't have much to do with smart and stupid. You have always played by the book, no doubt, safely, guided by others, maleable in nature, sheltered, and directed. That's fine, as people like you, raised by people like you, are the backbone of what makes this world a wonderful place. But not all people who are not like you are bad people or even stupid people, and many are greatly creative, productive, and without them, we'd live in a static world. Doing stupid things, NOT playing by the book, venturing outside convention, is as much a part of their nature and nurture as playing it safe and "smart" is part of yours.
God forbid one of your children is a more rebellious when he or she is very young. You would no doubt have a different take on the "bar of justice" and "lifetime records" that again are not the result of laws, but narrow attitudes.