US EditionSweden plans to jail 13-year-olds for serious offences
- On Monday, Sweden's government submitted a bill to lower the criminal responsibility age from 15 to 13, effective July 2026 until July 2031, allowing up to two years in a new "youth prison".
- Authorities cite a surge in organised violent crime in Sweden tied to rival gangs and the drug market, with 52 young people under the age of 15 involved in murder cases in 2025.
- A consultation sought input from 126 authorities and organisations, with police, prison officials and prosecutors largely critical or opposed, warning of risks to children and prisons.
- As well as lowering the age, the proposal alters youth sentencing rules by abolishing the so-called `ungdomsreduktion` for over-18s, reducing cuts for 13–18-year-olds, and raising the maximum sentence for under-18s to 18 years.
- Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said the measures reflect the seriousness and will take effect on July 3rd, expiring unless parliament votes to extend in 2031.
31 Articles
31 Articles
The right and the far right, supported by the Social Democrats, say they want to curb crime, but this measure, which will be applied from 1 July and for five years, is criticized by the experts.
Argentina is debating lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years. The project seeks a comprehensive system for adolescents in conflict with the law.
The government decided to include in the agenda of the extraordinary sessions the reform of the juvenile penal regime, a sensitive discussion that has already passed through Congress in the last two years, but it has been unfinished. According to Casa Rosada, the officialism aspires to insist with its original project to reduce from 16 to 13 years the age from which a minor can be considered criminally responsible. That text, which lost parliame…
▶️ The Swedish government is going to present a bill to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for serious offences. Objective: to stem the resurgence of violence linked to organized crime. The police, prison officials and prosecutors oppose this text. - Prison as early as 13? The Swedish government ready to crack down on crime (International).
The Swedish government said on Monday it was taking further action on a controversial bill that would lower the age of criminal responsibility for serious crimes from 15 to 13, allowing for prison sentences in certain cases.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 53% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
