SWEDEN’S right-wing government has abandoned its controversial proposal to imprison 13-year-olds for serious violent crimes, a major policy reversal triggered by insufficient parliamentary support and fierce opposition from legal experts, police authorities, and the prison service.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer announced the withdrawal on June 11, saying the government “decided to act responsibly” by withdrawing the bill when it became clear the measures lacked the votes needed to pass. Instead, officials will propose lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 14- a move Human Rights Watch (HRW) says is still “the wrong move”.
The original proposal, part of the Tidö Agreement with the Sweden Democrats, would have allowed children as young as 13 to face up to two years in “youth prison” for murder, attempted murder, aggravated rape, aggravated bombings, and serious weapons crimes. The government framed the measure as a response to escalating gang-related violence, with criminal organizations increasingly recruiting minors to execute shootings and transport weapons because those under 15 cannot be legally prosecuted.
In October 2025, the government submitted a bill to lower the age from 15 to 13, effective July 2026 until July 2031. The proposal also abolished the “ungdomsreduktion” (youth reduction) sentencing cut for 18-plus offenders, reduced cuts for 13–18-year-olds, and raised the maximum sentence for under-18s to 18 years.
Intense opposition forced the Moderate Party to drop the proposal. Police authorities, prosecutors, the Swedish Prison Service, and legal experts warned that jailing young children could backfire by recruiting even younger offenders and cementing criminal identities rather than rehabilitating them.
“The Prison Service’s mandate would expand to include housing 13- and 14-year-olds in detention centers and prisons,” Justice Minister Strömmer announced in October, but the agency submitted an official response rejecting the proposal.
While welcoming the withdrawal of the 13-year-old plan, HRW argues Sweden should maintain its current minimum age of criminal responsibility at 15.”Lowering the age of criminal responsibility neither helps victims nor makes communities safer,” HRW stated. “Rather, it risks pulling children into the criminal justice system at precisely the age when child-centered, multidisciplinary responses are most needed”.
The organization emphasized that adolescence is a period of rapid brain development when children are still developing impulse control, risk assessment, and resistance to peer pressure. Evidence from other countries shows child-centered rehabilitation systems prevent future harm more effectively than harsher criminal punishment. A coalition of 18 Swedish civil society groups has proposed at least 100 alternatives to jailing children, including:
- Stronger social services
- Better mental health care
- School-based support
- Targeted help for children exploited by criminal networks
- Meaningful assistance for families and communities
The withdrawal marks a significant retreat from one of the government’s flagship proposals to tackle youth gang crime, occurring ahead of elections. Strömmer told reporters the government would present a revised proposal within weeks to lower the age to 14, expecting parliament to approve it by August.
“Swedish parliamentarians across the political spectrum should continue to send the message that protecting children’s rights and protecting public safety are not opposing goals,” HRW said. The organization urged the government to abandon any plan to lower the age and instead implement rights-respecting alternatives focused on rehabilitation.
The debate underscores a fundamental divide in Sweden’s approach to youth crime: punitive measures versus investment in social services and rehabilitation. As gang violence continues to plague Swedish cities, the government faces pressure to deliver safety without compromising children’s rights—a balance HRW insists is achievable through rehabilitation, not imprisonment.
