Finland’s Cracking Down on Youth Crime as Violence Rises

4 27

Finland steps up fight against youth crime amid rising violence

The government has this week implemented an action plan to curb youth crime, with violence by children under 15 increasing by 300 percent between 2015 and 2021, reported Xinhua.

Minister of Justice Leena Meri told a press conference on Thursday that membership of a gang and violence on social media will now be considered grounds for punishment as aggravated crimes.

While a youth punishment code already exists in Finland, it has not been widely used so far. A youth may not consider a suspended sentence without probation control a punishment at all, Meri said.

People under 15 do not have criminal responsibility in Finland, and cannot be detained or sentenced. Recently, a school shooting carried out by a 12-year-old shocked the nation.

Ville Hinkkanen, director general at the Division for Criminal Law and Policy at the Ministry of Justice, said that the action program would focus on crime suspects and risk groups.

The government will investigate a legal framework for briefly detaining suspects aged under 15, or imposing a travel ban on such children.

A rehabilitation program for minors, to be arranged in closed institutions, is also being developed.

Source: www.dailyfinland.fi

4 Comments
  1. EmmaSmith22 says

    It’s alarming to see such a significant increase in youth violence. I believe it’s important for the government to take proactive measures to address this issue. Implementing stricter punishment for gang membership and online violence is a step in the right direction to protect our youth and society as a whole.

  2. Sarah Smith says

    Do you think these new measures will effectively address the rising youth crime in Finland?

  3. AmyMiller says

    It’s concerning to see such a significant rise in youth violence. I believe implementing stricter measures to address this issue is crucial for the safety and well-being of our communities.

  4. AlexandraWoods says

    It’s crucial to address the concerning spike in youth violence in Finland and take proactive measures to protect society. I support the government’s decision to crack down on youth crime and focus on creating rehabilitation programs for minors at risk.

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