The number of crime suspicions against children under 15 years has increased significantly over the past decade, from just under 1,500 in 2015 to over 3,500 in 2023. This is shown by an investigation conducted by Brå on behalf of the government. Above all, it concerns assault, theft, unlawful threats and harassment. The reason for the increase may be an increased willingness from, for example, schools to report crimes committed by children under 15 years, according to Monika Karlsson at Brå.
Known to social services
Of the suspected children, just over three-quarters are boys, but the proportion of girls has increased slightly since 2021. About nine out of ten children were also already known to social services in their municipality before the crime was committed, and many times the school and police had made a concern report before the crime. In a way, it is positive that the children are already known to social services, according to Monika Karlsson.
This means that there are good conditions for preventing crime and providing early interventions, she says.
Concern reports usually come at a stage when the children already have norm-breaking behavior. According to Monika Karlsson, one would need to detect problems and needs in these children even earlier, such as in preschool and child care centers.
Many of the children grow up with parents with limited ability. The earlier one can provide interventions, the greater the chance of succeeding in preventing problems and crime, she says.
Need for adults
The children who have been investigated have usually grown up under less favorable socio-economic conditions, according to the study. They live twice as often in rental apartments and in an area with socio-economic challenges, and have usually themselves been victims of crime.
In interviews, some of the children in the study have also raised that they have a need for stable and long-term relationships with adults who care about them.
Brå has in its report analyzed a selection of 430 children under 15 years who have been investigated during 2023. For 215 of these children, the social services' child care records have also been examined.
A so-called LUL investigation (the law on young offenders) is usually initiated when the crime has a minimum sentence of one year in prison. A quarter of the suspected boys and a twentieth of the girls who were part of the study were considered to be involved in criminal networks.
Assault is one of the most common LUL-investigated crimes. After that, robbery and rape are the most frequent crimes among boys, and theft and drug-related crimes among girls.
Source: The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå).
