LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Sweden’s government has withdrawn a controversial proposal to lower the prison sentencing age from 15 to 13, opting instead to pursue a revised plan that would allow 14-year-olds convicted of serious crimes to face imprisonment.
Following concerns that the measure would fail to gain enough support in parliament, Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer announced on Thursday that the government would instead submit a revised bill proposing a sentencing age of 14.
He expressed confidence that lawmakers would approve the new measure before August.
“Things are a bit uncertain in parliament, and that is why we have decided to act responsibly in this situation by making the decision this morning to withdraw this bill,” Strömmer told reporters.
The proposal was due for a parliamentary vote on June 15 but faced strong opposition in a country widely recognized for its commitment to children’s rights.
Of the 126 organizations and public institutions consulted by the government, most criticized or rejected the plan, including the police and prison authorities.
Notably, a government-appointed commissioner had recommended reducing the age to 14 for serious crimes.
However, the government initially proposed going further by setting the threshold at 13, but Sweden’s main opposition party, the Social Democrats, supported lowering the age to 14.
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Reflecting on the revised approach, Strömmer said, “I think most feel more comfortable with 14.”
The debate comes amid growing concern over violent organized crime in Sweden. For more than a decade, the country has struggled with gang-related violence linked to drug trafficking and criminal networks.
Authorities say gangs have increasingly recruited children under 15, often through online platforms, to carry out shootings and bomb attacks because they cannot currently receive prison sentences if arrested.
To prepare for the proposed reforms, eight prisons have already been instructed to establish separate units for minors, ensuring they remain isolated from adult inmates.
Under existing laws, young offenders convicted of serious crimes are typically placed in special detention and rehabilitation centres known as SiS homes rather than prisons.
As a result, concerns have grown in recent years bordering on facts that some of these facilities have become recruitment grounds for criminal groups.
Ultimately, the government is pushing ahead with a broader package of crime-fighting reforms as Sweden prepares for legislative elections scheduled for September.
The revised proposal is expected to remain a key part of that agenda in the months ahead.
