Sweden is moving towards a major overhaul of its youth justice system as it confronts a surge in gang-related shootings and bombings involving minors.
The government, led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson since 2022, argues that existing welfare-based approaches have failed to contain escalating violence linked to organised criminal networks.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer, a Gunnar Strömmer, said: “We have an emergency,” he said in April.
“Last year, 52 children under the age of 15 were involved in legal trials suspected of murder or attempted murder. So we’re not talking about theft, not even assault or robbery. We’re talking about murder.”
Under proposed legislation, the age of criminal responsibility would be lowered from 15 to 13, placing Sweden below most European countries. Children convicted of the most serious offences could be detained in specialist prisons, including facilities designed for girls.
The proposal is due for a parliamentary vote on June 15, with a review planned after five years.
Swedish authorities estimate there are around 17,500 active gang members and 50,000 associates, with criminal networks generating large revenues from drug trafficking, fraud and robbery. Officials say gangs increasingly recruit children through social media, in some cases as young as 11, to carry out violent crimes including murder and bombings.
Government figures show 44 people were shot dead in 2025, down from a peak of 62 in 2022, which ministers describe as evidence that tougher policing is beginning to have an effect. However, they warn that preventing child recruitment remains the most difficult challenge.
At Rosersberg prison, north of Stockholm, one of several facilities being adapted for violent teenage offenders, preparations are underway for incoming inmates expected after summer. Prison staff say education will be central, alongside limited recreation such as television, video games and gym access. Cells will be locked overnight from 8 p.m.
Prison governor Gabriel Wessman said the institution must balance security with care for adolescents, some of whom have never lived independently.
“They will grow up in here,” he said, adding that support would be needed during adolescence. He noted that even small comfort items may be considered:
“It’s not that uncommon in the outside world that boys at this age have soft toys,” he said. “Maybe we should see that we have one in every cell.”
Until now, Sweden has relied on social services for serious juvenile offenders, but authorities argue the system is ineffective. A Swedish National Audit Office report found that nine out of ten young gang members in youth homes reoffend, while eight out of ten later end up in prison as adults.
The government says incarceration would protect the public, deliver justice for victims and disrupt gang influence. Critics disagree.
Opposition Centre Party spokeswoman Wilma Roth, a Wilma Roth, said:
“A 13-year-old is a child — one who is not even legally old enough to purchase energy drinks,” she said. “Children under 15 who commit serious crimes should be taken into care and provided treatment, rather than being imprisoned.”
Concerns have also been raised by legal experts. Felipe Estrada Dorner warned that incarceration risks damaging long-term prospects for already vulnerable children, while acknowledging the need for public protection.
Other countries are also reassessing youth justice thresholds. Britain and Northern Ireland, where the age of criminal responsibility is 10, are debating whether to raise it. Denmark previously lowered its threshold to 14 in 2010 but later research found no clear impact on crime rates.
Sweden’s parliament is expected to decide on the reform later this month.
