Sweden Moves to Lower Criminal Responsibility Age to 13 for Serious Crimes

Sweden is moving forward with a proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for serious crimes. If approved, the legislation is aimed to go into force as early as this summer.

Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer stated that Sweden is in an "emergency situation" due to criminal networks recruiting children to commit violent offenses without significant legal consequences.

The proposal would apply only to the "most serious crimes," including murder, attempted murder, aggravated bombings, aggravated weapons offenses, and aggravated rape. In certain cases, offenders could face prison sentences.

Rising Youth Crime

Data from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention shows that registered offenses linked to suspects under 15 have doubled over the past decade.

Government's Rationale and Background

The current government, which came into power in 2022, has pledged to address organized crime. An inquiry commissioned by the government at the beginning of last year recommended lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 in serious cases.

In September, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed the age would be lowered from 15, citing the exploitation of children by criminal networks. The government subsequently announced its intention to lower the age to 13 and sought input from 126 authorities and organizations.

Opposition and Concerns

The plans have faced opposition from several authorities and organizations. In November, the police authority warned that the change risked encouraging "significantly younger children" to become involved in criminal gangs.

Other groups raised concerns that the prison system is not equipped for such young offenders and that their detention could infringe upon children's rights. The prison and probation service also suggested potential negative consequences for children, advocating for alternative care methods.

Justice Minister Strommer acknowledged the previous criticism but emphasized the heightened urgency of the situation. Fredrik Hjulström, a local authority head reviewing the proposal, argued that the bill lacked "factual arguments" and that children should receive care rather than punishment, suggesting it was politically motivated ahead of the general election.

Lawyer Johan Eriksson agreed on the need to prevent children from being recruited by gangs but expressed concerns that lowering the age of criminal responsibility might have the opposite effect.

The bill is now slated for review by Sweden's Council on Legislation.