14-year-olds can now be sentenced to prison in Sweden  

This issue is about more than just criminal law. It concerns our views on children, responsibility, and society’s role when children go astray. Children have enjoyed special protection within the legal system, based on an understanding of their development, maturity, and ability to understand the consequences of their actions.   

Sweden has long been a pioneer in the field of children’s rights. When Sweden ratified the the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child , we endorsed the principle that children’s rights should be strengthened over time, not weakened. The decision to lower the age of criminal responsibility represents a clear departure from that principle.   

Erikshjälpen shares the deep concern that many people feel about the fact that increasingly younger children are becoming involved in serious crime. Children who commit particularly serious crimes cause great suffering for victims, their families, and local communities. Society must be able to take strong action when children pose a danger to others.   

But as the problems grow, we need to hold fast to what we know about child development, children’s rights, and the importance of preventive measures. The Council on Legislation, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Children’s Ombudsman, the Institute for Human Rights, researchers, and large segments of civil society have advised against or strongly criticized the proposal. What many of these voices have in common is not that they underestimate the seriousness of the problem, but that they question whether lowering the age of criminal responsibility is the right answer.   

Research and experience show that preventive efforts, early interventions, safe upbringings, and strong safety nets are more effective at reducing crime and recidivism than repressive measures targeting children. We also know that such interventions are more sustainable and resource-efficient than measures that are implemented only after problems have already escalated.   

Ultimately, it comes down to what kind of society we want to be. A society that responds to children in crisis with more criminal justice measures, or a society that responds to them with the support, protection, and rehabilitation that give them the opportunity to leave a life of crime behind.   

Erikshjälpen continues to advocate for putting children’s rights at the center and for society to invest in the preventive interventions that we know make a difference. 

Author: Jonatan Saldner