More and more children and young people are drawn into crime, and in the Tidö Agreement the government and SD state that a system of youth crime boards must be tried in Sweden.
– When we took office, more and more and younger children were drawn into crime, and the situation got worse and worse, says Social Services Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M).
On Wednesday, government investigator Susanne Eberstein presented her proposal.
Similar to Denmark, the investigator proposes that a new authority be set up to handle the boards, Myndigheten mot ungdomskriminalitet (Muk).
Enough with the risk
A difference compared to the Danish system is that there must be a risk that the child will commit a crime of a serious nature, in Denmark suspicion of a crime is required.
In Denmark, many children have been lost. We want people to come in already when there is a risk, not when suspicions have been raised, says investigator Susanne Eberstein.
The report must be made by the police and there is no lower age limit.
But it’s clear, we’re not talking about real little kids, there you have to have other efforts, says Eberstein.
But eight-year-olds could very well be brought before the committee if, for example, they hang out with older criminals, she says.
Each committee must consist of three members, a judge as chairman and others from the police and municipality.
School attendance requirements
After notification, children and guardians must be called to a meeting with the committee where an action plan is drawn up.
It is about both requirements and efforts. The requirement may be for the child to go to school or participate in leisure activities, the efforts may for example be extra help at school, says Susanne Eberstein.
In Denmark, the board can also decide on coercive measures, such as curfews and forced placements in youth homes, but this is not relevant in the Swedish model.
What is the most drastic thing the board can decide on?
There is, for example, the requirement that you go to school and that this will be checked very carefully, says Eberstein.
In order for the committees to be introduced, however, a further investigation is required to sort out the details.
The government states that it must send the proposal for referral and does not give any information about whether it will take the proposal further after that.