Gang crime is creeping ever further down the ages in Sweden. In 2024, 120 children under the age of 15 were suspected of murder or other involvement in murder cases.
“Behind every number there is a crime victim and relatives of crime victims who, because we cannot hand out a sentence, cannot receive compensation either,” says Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M).
In addition to providing redress, the punishment also aims to protect society from dangerous people, he believes.
The Center Party, on the other hand, does not believe that a reduction will reduce crime.
– It has been shown that lowering the age of criminal jurisdiction is not an effective tool. It’s not punishment that deters the 14-year-olds, they don’t have that consequentialism, says Ulrika Liljeberg, legal policy spokesperson (C).
C: Can’t put the responsibility on the children
The center party agrees that society needs to get the young people off the street, but not to put them in prison.
– We need to have them in the classroom, says Ulrika Liljeberg and continues:
– We still have to keep in mind that it is about children. Just because we adults haven’t given enough good support and help doesn’t mean we should put that responsibility on the children.
In 2010, Denmark lowered the legal age to 14. But the move did not have the desired effect – on the contrary, crime among 14-year-olds increased and two years later the age had been raised again.
– When you come into contact with the legal system, you risk being branded a criminal and coming into contact with other criminals, says criminologist Britt Østergaard Larsen.
Several children’s rights organizations are also against lowering the limit, and believe that it goes against the Swedish tradition regarding the view of children in the criminal justice system.
14 years the average in Europe
Gunnar Strömmer highlights the fact that even though the age of criminal responsibility in the Nordic countries is 15, the average in Europe is 14.
– If it were the case that in today’s system we could see that we are really able to work preventively against children and young people being drawn into crime, perhaps this would not be as urgent. But we have seen a development in the last 10-15 years that pulls in the exact opposite direction. Then we must be prepared to try something new.
In 2023, the Tidö parties appointed an investigation to review whether Sweden should lower the age of criminal jurisdiction. On Tuesday, the investigator presents his proposal.