The Prison and Probation Service is already working on designing special youth units for the ages 15-17 years. Now the government has given the task to also make ready special units, separate from the older children, for 13- and 14-year-olds.
They will be ready by next summer. According to a legislative proposal, the age of criminal responsibility will be lowered from July 1 from 15 to 13 years for young people who commit very serious crimes.
The Prison and Probation Service is preparing, according to Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (The Moderate Party), to initially provide 100-150 places for the entire age range of 13-17 years. Such youth departments will be located at several institutions across the country.
One is building up school activities and treatments of various kinds, says Strömmer.
The lowered age of criminal responsibility for very serious crimes will apply for at least five years to begin with.
I see it as giving the rest of society a chance to catch up, says Strömmer.
If we are to prevent 13- and 14-year-olds from committing serious crimes, then social services, school, police, and child and adolescent psychiatry must move forward in a completely different way.
