Stockholm: Sweden, grappling with a surge in gang-related crime, has announced plans to place offenders as young as 13 in youth detention centers starting next summer, despite these individuals not being criminally liable due to their age. The Swedish Justice Ministry revealed that the government in Stockholm had previously tasked the national prison authority with creating sections in detention facilities for 15- to 17-year-olds who have committed serious crimes. This initiative is now being expanded to include 13- and 14-year-olds.
According to Ghana News Agency, Sweden has been struggling with criminal gangs that frequently recruit minors to commit serious offenses, including murders. Although current legislation does not hold 13- and 14-year-olds criminally liable, a legislative proposal from the liberal-conservative government of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson seeks to change this for particularly serious crimes.
Justice Minister Gunnar Str¶mmer explained that lowering the age of criminal responsibility for the most serious crimes is crucial not only to protect society but also to help children abandon a life of crime. Henrik Vinge, chairman of the Justice Committee and a member of the right-wing nationalist Sweden Democrats, emphasized the need for society to respond with full force when young teens are involved in severe criminal activities. He stated that to protect society, these younger teens must be able to be detained, and lowering the age of criminal responsibility will expand the police’s capabilities.
Str¶mmer announced that initially, 100 to 150 places would be established for offenders aged 13 to 17. The separate youth sections are anticipated to be operational by July 2026. Sections for boys will be set up in six detention centers, while two will be designated for girls. The system will ensure that younger and older teenagers are kept separate and that it complies with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as stated by the ministry.