Sweden Moves To Charge 13-Year-Olds As Criminals In Serious Crimes

Last Updated:January 27, 2026, 21:17 IST

Sweden may lower criminal responsibility age from 15 to 13 for serious crimes, as Gunnar Strommer cites emergency over child gang recruitment. The bill faces opposition.

Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer (Justice Dept/X)

Sweden is likely to soon lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 in serious cases amid the rise in number of children being recruited into gangs to carry out violent crimes without the danger of facing serious legal consequences.

BBC quoted Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer saying that the country was in an “emergency situation" and stopping the use of children in criminal networks was a “crucial task" for the government.

He emphasised that the proposal will not lead to “general lowering of the age of criminal responsibility" and would only apply to the “most serious crimes" such as murder, attempted murder, aggravated bombings, aggravated weapons offences and aggravated rape. Under the proposal, the offenders will likely face prison sentences in certain cases.

According to BBC, several authorities, including police, prison officials and prosecutors, have opposed the plan, with some worried that it may lead to even younger children becoming offenders.

The Swedish Council for Crime Prevention said in a data that the number of registered offences linked to suspects under the age of 15 has doubled over the past decade.

The current government had come to power in 2022 vowing to crackdown on organised crimes.

At the beginning of last year, a government-ordered inquiry recommended lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 in serious cases, BBC reported.

The first announcement of lowering the age from 15 to 13 was made in September last year by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. He said children are “being ruthlessly exploited by criminal networks to commit serious crimes".

“Both to protect these children and their potential victims, the government is taking strong action against this type of cynical exploitation," he added.

In November, the police authority said that the change risked “significantly younger children" getting involved in criminal gangs as a result.

Others said the prison system was not equipped to handle such young offenders and detaining them could breach children’s rights. Meanwhile, the Justice Minister said on Monday that he has taken note of the previous criticism of the bill but the situation is urgent.

According to BBC, the bill will be sent to Sweden’s Council on Legislation, which reviews bills the government intends to put before parliament. If passed, the legislation will go into force by this summer.

News world Sweden Moves To Charge 13-Year-Olds As Criminals In Serious Crimes

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