Gangs hire children to commit murders. Sweden wants to tighten criminal policy

Sweden is not ruling out lowering the age of criminal responsibility below the current 15 years. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson emphasized that this is related to the dramatic increase in cases where criminal gangs recruit children via social media and use them as contract killers.

According to statistics, in the first six months of 2024, a total of 93 people under the age of 15 were suspected of committing murder, attempting murder, or aiding and abetting murder—a threefold increase compared to the previous year.

An investigator commissioned by the government therefore recommended lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 in particularly serious cases. Kristersson left open whether the government would follow this recommendation, but hinted at tough measures against the “cynical exploitation of children.”
The country has been plagued by shootings and bombings linked to organized crime for more than a decade. Since 2023, however, young offenders in particular have joined the fray, sparking a debate about legal changes.

Although the number of gang murders declined slightly in 2024, the government warns of long-term consequences if gangs continue to abuse children as “easily controllable perpetrators.”

(reuters, est)