Sweden, grappling with a surge in gang-related crime, announced Monday that starting next summer it will place offenders as young as 13 in youth detention centers, expanding an earlier plan that covered only 15- to 17-year-olds.
The government in Stockholm had previously tasked the national prison authority with creating sections in detention facilities for 15- to 17-year-olds who have committed serious crimes.
This mandate is now being expanded to include 13- and 14-year-olds, the Swedish Justice Ministry announced.
For years, Sweden has been grappling with criminal gangs that frequently recruit minors to carry out serious crimes, including murders.
Under current legislation, 13- and 14-year-olds are not yet criminally liable, though a legislative proposal from the liberal-conservative government of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson aims to change this for particularly serious offences.
Lowering the age of criminal responsibility for the most serious crimes is important not only to protect society but also to help children leave the path of crime, explained Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer in a statement.
"When 13-14-year-olds run around with automatic weapons, society must respond with full force," Henrik Vinge, chairman of the Justice Committee, said according to the statement. He is a member of the right-wing nationalist Sweden Democrats.
He said to protect society, these younger teens "must be able to be locked up, and by lowering the age of criminal responsibility, we are opening up the police's toolbox."
Strömmer stated that initially, 100 to 150 places would be created for offenders aged 13 to 17. The separate youth sections are expected to be operational by July 2026, according to the government.
Sections for boys will be established in six detention centers, while two will be designated for girls. Younger and older teenagers will be kept separate, and the entire system must comply with the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, the ministry said.
