Sweden’s government has unveiled plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 in a bid to disrupt gangs that recruit children to carry out serious violent crimes.
The proposal targets what authorities describe as “violence-as-a-service,” a model in which organised crime groups outsource assaults, bombings, and killings to minors who currently cannot be imprisoned.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said 52 children under 15 were linked to murder or murder-planning cases last year, highlighting a rise in extreme violence by minors even as overall youth offending falls. Under current law, suspects below 15 are diverted to social services rather than the courts, a gap the government says gangs are exploiting.
The proposed change would take effect in July and run for five years, after which the age limit could revert to 15. Children convicted under the new regime would still receive lighter sentences than adults. Officials argue the move is necessary to protect the public and provide justice for victims, while critics warn it could backfire by increasing reoffending and driving gangs to recruit even younger children.
The initiative comes amid mounting pressure on Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-leaning government to curb gang violence ahead of Sweden’s next general election in September. Sweden has also taken a leading role in a Europol task force with several European countries to dismantle cross-border networks using children as hired attackers.
While native Swedes are involved in gang activity, gang violence disproportionately involves youths from migrant backgrounds, particularly second-generation immigrants living in segregated, low-income suburbs.
94% of members of organized crime groups in Sweden are immigrants or children of immigrants. They have imported an entire criminal class and structure. pic.twitter.com/uyZOXyobO9
— Jonatan Pallesen (@jonatanpallesen) November 7, 2025
Sweden 🇸🇪
After letting in thousands of migrants that didn’t integrate Sweden now has the worst gang crime in Europe.
Sweden is a peek into Irelands future. #IrelandOptsOut #IrelandBelongsToTheIrish pic.twitter.com/53ImLKyWCW
— Real News Éire (@real_eire) April 2, 2024
So once again treating the symptom not the cause. Harsher sentences for gangs, life imprisonment, no parole, those who have dual citizenship, take away the Swedish one and send them back where they came from. Send in the army, special forces if need be and break up these gangs. Its so easy if you have government with a spine but well……
Immigrants (27% of population) do 94 % of crime.
I wonder what the New Zealand statistic is?
Put boys from age 12 in boarding school, far away from cities.
With military personel to discipline them. At this age is what they need
What about girls?
It is MOTHERS, single ones especially, who feminize/neuter boys until they develop their hormones and then break free, with all the bad decisions young men make.
I postulate: destruction of core-families and ‘social’ BS policies destroy any culture.
As far as i know, the prisons are full of male criminals. Not of women criminal
You have a problem my friend with women and feminity. What about your own mother ? What did she or did not she do to you ?
Why are male deserting their family and leaving all children’s education, often with no payment of child support, to women, hey ?
What a lot of BS to accuse women of all your own bad decisions
All these kids are N-wiggers, deport, but I am kind and caring and would never split up a family, deport the whole family, extended family also.