Sweden is moving forward with plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 in serious cases as it grapples with a growing number of children recruited into gangs to carry out violent crimes without facing serious legal repercussions.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the country was in an emergency situation and stopping the use of children in criminal networks was a crucial task for the government.
However, several authorities, including police, prison officials, and prosecutors, have opposed the plan, with concerns that it may lead to even younger children becoming offenders.
If passed, the legislation will go into effect as early as this summer.
Strommer insisted that the proposal does not involve a general lowering of the age of criminal responsibility and would apply only to the most serious crimes such as murder, attempted murder, aggravated bombings, and aggravated rape.
Under the proposal, some offenders could face prison sentences in certain cases. Data from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention shows that the number of registered offences linked to suspects under the age of 15 has doubled over the past decade.
The current government came into power in 2022 vowing to crack down on organized crime.
At the beginning of last year, a government-ordered inquiry recommended lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 in serious cases, while Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed in September that it would be lowered from 15, noting that children are being ruthlessly exploited by criminal networks to commit serious crimes.
In his address, Strommer stated that the government's goal is to protect these children and their potential victims from such exploitation.
After an initial inquiry, the government announced plans to decrease the age to 13, seeking input from 126 authorities and organizations, which met with criticism and opposition from various sectors.
Concerns were raised that younger children could become involved in criminal gangs, with the police authority warning against potential consequences.
Opposition voices include local authority head Fredrik Hjulström, who criticized the lack of factual arguments in the proposal, arguing for a focus on care rather than punishment for children.
Lawyer Johan Eriksson also expressed doubts about the effectiveness of lowering the age of criminal responsibility and indicated that it might exacerbate the recruitment problem.
The proposed bill is now set to be reviewed by Sweden's Council on Legislation before being presented to parliament.
