Sweden withdraws controversial proposal to jail 13-year-olds

The flag of Sweden is shown. (Mustafa / Pexels)

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Sweden’s right-wing government withdrew Thursday a heavily contested proposal to lower the age at which children can be sentenced to prison from 15 to 13, citing a lack of support in parliament.

But Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the government would present a revised proposal within weeks, lowering the age to 14. He said he expected parliament to approve the measure by August.

The minority government, backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats, has made the fight against crime a top priority since coming to power in 2022.

“Things are a bit uncertain in parliament, and that is why we have decided to act responsibly in this situation by making the decision this morning to withdraw this bill,” Strommer told reporters.

The proposal, which parliament had been due to vote on on June 15, had been met with fierce criticism in a country known for championing children’s rights.

Most of the 126 authorities and organizations the government consulted before presenting the bill were critical or opposed the measure, including the police and the prison service.

A government-appointed commissioner had recommended lowering the age to 14 for serious offences, but the government had chosen to go a step further to 13.

Sweden’s main opposition Social Democrats are in favour of lowering the age to 14.

“I think most feel more comfortable with 14,” Strommer said.

Gang wars and drugs crime

The Scandinavian country has been rocked by violent organized crime for more than a decade, linked primarily to battles between gangs as well as gang wars over the drug market.

The loosely formed networks have increasingly recruited under-15s, often online, to carry out bombings and shootings, knowing they would not face prison time if caught.

Eight existing prisons have been tasked with preparing special sections for children, where they will be kept separate from adult inmates.

Currently, most minors found guilty of serious crimes are not sentenced to prison.

They are usually ordered into detention facilities known as SiS homes, which are tasked with mandatory care and rehabilitation, rather than a punitive system like prison.

However, many SiS homes have in recent years become recruiting bases for criminal networks.

Children’s rights organization Bris said Thursday its “criticism against lowering the age to 13 is the same as that for lowering the age to 14.”

“Nothing indicates that lowering the age to 14 will turn the situation around,” secretary general Maria Frisk said in a statement.

Bris urged the government to instead continue its reforms of SiS homes, and to strengthen networks around children in institutional care to ensure they do not fall back into criminality on their release.

The government is trying to rapidly push through reforms in various areas, ahead of legislative elections in September.

AFP