Sweden’s government has announced it will move forward with a highly debated bill to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for serious offences, a measure that could see younger teenagers face prison sentences in exceptional cases.
The proposal has drawn opposition from multiple authorities, including the police, prison officials, and prosecutors, who have warned that the measure could expose children to harsher treatment without addressing root causes of crime.
Speaking at a press conference, Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer clarified that the change is not a general lowering of the age of criminal responsibility, but would apply only to the most severe crimes, such as murder, attempted murder, aggravated bombings, aggravated weapons offences, and aggravated rape.
Sweden has struggled for over a decade with rising organised violent crime, largely linked to gang conflicts and battles over drug markets. Criminal networks have increasingly recruited children under 15 to carry out bombings and shootings, exploiting the legal system’s inability to impose prison sentences on minors.
A government inquiry in January 2025 initially recommended lowering the age to 14. By September, the government revised its proposal to 13 and circulated the bill to 126 authorities and organisations for feedback. Most respondents criticized the move or opposed it entirely.
The Swedish Police Authority warned that lowering the age might draw even younger children into criminal networks, while prison officials cautioned that facilities are not equipped to handle such young offenders and raised concerns about potential violations of children’s rights.
Despite the controversy, the government maintains that the bill is necessary to combat serious youth involvement in violent crime and protect public safety, a debate that has sharply divided opinion across Sweden.
