Sweden Considers Lowering Criminal Age to 13 Amid Youth Crime Surge

Sweden is contemplating a significant shift in its legal framework, considering the possibility of lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 13 for serious offenses. This potential change comes in response to a concerning increase in violent crime committed by minors.

The current Swedish law stipulates that individuals under the age of 15 are not criminally liable. Authorities and reports suggest that organized crime networks are exploiting this legal loophole, frequently recruiting teenagers for violent acts, including contract killings. To combat this trend, the Swedish parliament is set to vote on proposals that could hold even 13-year-olds criminally accountable, with the possibility of detention in severe cases.

Under the proposed reforms, 15- to 17-year-olds convicted of serious crimes could be placed in specially adapted juvenile detention units. Furthermore, the government plans a trial reduction of the criminal responsibility age to 13 for particularly grave offenses such as murder, bombings, and other crimes with high minimum penalties. Even if deemed criminally responsible, 13- and 14-year-olds would still be required to attend school.

Neighboring Denmark's experience offers a stark warning. In 2010, Denmark lowered its age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 14. However, research two years later revealed that the reform had no deterrent effect. Instead, it was associated with higher rates of reoffending and poorer educational outcomes among the affected youth. Experts now often cite Denmark as a cautionary example, suggesting that lowering the age of criminal responsibility does not automatically solve the problem of youth violence and may even push vulnerable young people further into criminal environments.

In Slovenia, the age of criminal responsibility remains at 14. The new Law on Juvenile Criminal Proceedings, effective from 2026, maintains this age limit, emphasizing rehabilitative measures, individual treatment, and the involvement of social work centers for minors aged 14 to 18.