Sweden lowers age of criminal responsibility to 14, allowing prison sentences

Sweden's parliament has approved a controversial measure to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 14. This significant shift in the country's legal framework means that individuals aged 14 and above can now face prison sentences for serious crimes such as murder, aggravated weapons offenses, and acts endangering the public, like bombings. The legislation, which will be in effect for five years, aims to strengthen rehabilitation opportunities for young offenders and enhance societal protection against serious criminal activity. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (M) defended the decision during parliamentary debates, stating that it would "strengthen the possibilities to rehabilitate the children and strengthen society's protection against serious criminality." However, the proposal encountered strong opposition from several parties. The Left Party, Green Party, and Centre Party voted against the measure. Gudrun Nordborg of the Left Party argued that punishing these young individuals places the blame on children whom society has failed to protect. Initially, the government proposed lowering the age to 13. However, this initial proposal lacked sufficient support in parliament. In June, the government revised its stance, adjusting the age to 14. Alongside the lowered age of responsibility, parliament also voted to reduce the penalty discount for individuals under 18. The standard discount, which previously stood at 80 percent of an adult's sentence, will now be 80 percent for a 15-year-old, with a 60 percent discount compared to the current 80 percent. The Left Party and the Green Party opposed this reduction in penalty discounts for minors. The new legal changes are set to take effect on September 10 of this year.

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This will strengthen the possibilities to rehabilitate the children and strengthen society's protection against serious criminality.