Sweden lowers the age of criminal responsibility to 14 — after the 13 proposal collapsed

The Riksdag approved "Tightened rules for young offenders" on 13 August, lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 14 for offences carrying a minimum four-year sentence — explicitly temporary, for a five-year trial with mandatory evaluation. The government's original 13-year threshold was opposed by the Council on Legislation and withdrawn for lack of support; the 14-year version passed with Social Democrat backing. The sentence discount for 18–20 year-olds is abolished entirely, and maximum youth prison terms rise from 14 to 18 years.

Corrects an earlier report: last week's briefing recorded the threshold as 13, in force since 2 August — that was wrong on both counts. Two features travel well for a UK audience: the five-year sunset with mandatory evaluation, and abolishing the sentencing discount for 18–20 year-olds, a live UK sentencing question Sweden has just answered.