Sweden has unveiled details of a controversial reform that will allow children as young as 13 to be imprisoned for serious crimes, as part of a broader effort to combat escalating gang violence.
The measure, set to take effect on July 1, follows the government’s decision in January to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13.
The minority right-wing administration, backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats, says the move is necessary to address what it describes as a fundamental shift in the nature of youth crime.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer, speaking at a press conference on Thursday, said eight existing prisons have been assigned to create specialised units for young offenders.
Three of those units are expected to be operational by the time the reform comes into force.
Under the new framework, child inmates will be held separately from adult prisoners. They will be locked in their cells for 11 hours overnight — three hours fewer than adult inmates — and will have access to schooling during the day, as well as dedicated facilities including a cafeteria, recreation yard, gym and infirmary.
“Society and crime have changed fundamentally,” Strömmer said. “Young people in general commit fewer crimes. But those who do commit more and much more serious crimes.”
He added that the use of weapons and explosives among youths has become increasingly common.
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Sweden has grappled for more than a decade with a surge in organised violent crime, largely linked to rival gang conflicts and disputes over control of the drug trade.
Authorities say criminal networks have increasingly exploited legal loopholes by recruiting children under 15 — who previously could not face prison sentences — to carry out shootings and bombings.
However, the reform has drawn significant criticism. Of the 126 authorities consulted by the government, a majority reportedly expressed reservations or outright opposition, including the police and the prison service.
Children’s rights organisation Bris condemned the policy as “counter-productive, insufficiently researched and in violation of children’s rights.”
The group warned that incarcerating such young offenders could increase the likelihood of reoffending and potentially encourage gangs to recruit even younger children.
In response to concerns, the government has indicated that the reform will initially be temporary, limited to a five-year period, after which its impact will be evaluated.
The debate underscores a difficult balance facing Swedish policymakers: how to confront a changing and more violent criminal landscape while safeguarding the rights and futures of the country’s youngest citizens.