The government's assignment to her was to consider whether the current age of criminal responsibility should be lowered from the current 15 years.
The investigator does not go all the way by proposing a general lowering for all types of crimes. However, her proposal implies a lowering to 14 years for crimes with a minimum sentence of at least four years, as well as attempts, preparations, or instigations to such crimes. This would include murder and many explosions in residential areas.
Does not deter
Lindberg does not believe that long prison sentences deter 14-year-olds who are ready to commit serious crimes.
Probably not. I don't think 14-year-olds calculate the penalties they can get, she says.
The main argument for the proposal is another one – to protect society from dangerous individuals.
There are very many who are affected by crimes that are currently committed by children under 15 years old, says Lindberg.
The age of criminal responsibility in the EU varies today from 10 to 18 years. The international average is 14. In Sweden, it has been 15 since 1864.
The Minister of Justice is waiting to take a stand on the investigator's proposal. He believes that there may be debate among the parties not only about lowering the age limit but also about whether the lowering should apply to all types of crimes.
There are good reasons for a general lowering, for example, the interest in addressing crime early with clear consequences, says Gunnar Strömmer (The Moderate Party)
SD wants to go further
The Sweden Democrats want the age of criminal responsibility to be lowered to 13 years and apply to all types of crimes.
This will naturally be a matter for negotiation, says Richard Jomshof, chairman of the Justice Committee in the Riksdag.
The investigator, however, sees several reasons against a general lowering of the age limit. One is that youth crime has decreased in general since the 1990s, and there is no scientific support for the idea that a lowering would lead to reduced crime.
The Liberals' Paulina Brandberg, Minister for Gender Equality, stated on Monday that her party does not primarily want to see a lowered age of criminal responsibility.
The Left Party, the Centre Party, and the Green Party (MP) are against a lowering. MP's Rasmus Ling warns that it could lead to gangs trying to recruit children even further down in age.
The Social Democrats do not want to take a stand yet.
Of course, more measures are needed. If this can be something we can support, we will get back to it, says the legal policy spokesperson Teresa Carvalho (S).
The age of criminal responsibility is proposed to be 14 years for certain serious crimes
The crimes must have a minimum sentence of four years or more
The age limit also applies to attempts, preparations, and instigations to such crimes
The law change is time-limited to five years, but can be maintained after evaluation
The maximum sentence for young offenders under 18 years old should be the same as for adults
However, a ban on life imprisonment for offenders under 18 years old is proposed
Source: SOU 2025:11
