Sweden plans to reduce the age of criminal responsibility to 13 years

Sweden plans to reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 years due to the growing recruitment of children into gangs. About writes BBC, citing Justice Minister Gunnar Stromer.

The country is in an "emergency situation," and stopping the use of children in criminal networks is a "crucial task" for the government, the politician said. If the law is passed, it will come into force this summer.

The draft law stipulates that the new age of responsibility will apply only to the "most serious crimes," such as murder, attempted murder, aggravated use of explosive devices, weapons crimes, and aggravated rape. Some offenders may face imprisonment in certain cases.

The journalists, citing data from the Swedish National Crime Prevention Council, note that the number of registered offenses involving suspects under the age of 15 has doubled over the past decade.

The proposal on the age of criminal responsibility was criticized by the police, penitentiary officials, prosecutors and local authorities. Penitentiary institutions are not equipped to work with offenders of this age, the article says.

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