Sweden Abandons Proposal to Lower Criminal Responsibility Age to 13
Government Decision and Legislative Changes
Background and Initial Proposal
STOCKHOLM, June 11 (Reuters) - Sweden's right of centre government will drop its controversial plan to cut the age of criminal responsibility to 13-years-old from the current 15-years-old, it said on Thursday.
Parliamentary Support and New Legislation
Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said there was not enough support in parliament for the measure and that the government instead would introduce new legislation that will set a lower limit of 14-years-old.
Official Statement from Justice Minister
"We are going to propose that the age of criminal responsibility should be cut to 14 instead of 13-years-old," Strommer told reporters.
Context: Rising Gang Crime in Sweden
Sweden has seen a surge in gang crime over the last twenty years with the number of shootings now among the highest in Europe.
Government Response to Gang Crime
The government has overhauled the criminal justice system, giving the police more power and introducing tougher sentences, but has struggled stop gangs recruiting ever younger children to carry out violent crimes.
Statistics on Youth Crime
More than 50 children under 15 faced court last year suspected of murder or attempted murder, Strommer said.
Current System and International Recommendations
Youth Homes and Proposed Prison Units
Until now, children who commit violent crimes have been put into youth homes, but that system is widely seen as having failed.
The government had planned to lock up children as young as 13 in special prison units.
UN and EU Guidelines
The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child recommends that the age of criminal responsibility should be 14 at the lowest, which is the average across the European Union.
(Reporting by Simon Johnson, editing by Terje Solsvik)
