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Hårda bud på högre straffbud – En komparativ studie av de nordiska ländernas syn på unga lagöverträdare

Horndahl Vilör, Hannah LU (2020) LAGF03 20202
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Att straffa eller att inte straffa unga lagöverträdare och i vilken utsträckning; det är den pågående debatten i Sverige idag. Mer specifikt, huruvida man ska lagföra 18-21 åringar som vuxna snarare än ungdomar. Det torde sig naturligt att individer som anses vara vuxna, lagligen om inte annat, också skall betraktas vuxna nog att kunna stå inför anklagelser i sin fulla omfattning för deras begångna brott. Likväl är detta lättare sagt än gjort och idag får brottslingar mellan 15 och 21 år straffrabatt. Även om så är fallet i Sverige är det inte den pågående trenden i Danmark eller Norge.

Det huvudsakliga syftet med denna avhandling är att ge en kortfattad bild av lagstiftningen i de nordiska länderna beträffande unga gärningsmän både... (More)
Att straffa eller att inte straffa unga lagöverträdare och i vilken utsträckning; det är den pågående debatten i Sverige idag. Mer specifikt, huruvida man ska lagföra 18-21 åringar som vuxna snarare än ungdomar. Det torde sig naturligt att individer som anses vara vuxna, lagligen om inte annat, också skall betraktas vuxna nog att kunna stå inför anklagelser i sin fulla omfattning för deras begångna brott. Likväl är detta lättare sagt än gjort och idag får brottslingar mellan 15 och 21 år straffrabatt. Även om så är fallet i Sverige är det inte den pågående trenden i Danmark eller Norge.

Det huvudsakliga syftet med denna avhandling är att ge en kortfattad bild av lagstiftningen i de nordiska länderna beträffande unga gärningsmän både historiskt och i dagsläget. Detta i syfte att identifiera skillnader och likheter främst mellan Sverige och Danmark, samt vad som kan ha påverkat respektive rättsordning. Inspirerad av aktuella händelser där medlemmar ur ett svenskt kriminellt gäng åtalades vid dansk domstol efter att ha begått ett dubbelmord; där två av medlemmarna var yngre än 18 år vid tidpunkten. Det långa fängelsestraffet om 20 år vardera ledde till debatt i svensk media, eftersom så ej hade varit utfallet om händelserna hade ägt rum i Sverige och i svensk domstol.

Den mest märkbara skillnaden mellan de nordiska ländernas rättssystem är hur såväl Norge som Danmark båda dragit en hård linje mellan vuxna och unga lagöverträdare vid 18 års ålder, vilket resulterat i att endast ge minderåriga strafflättnad. Minderåriga är dock inte helt fria från konsekvenser, 15 till 17-åringar kan åtalas i alla de nordiska länderna, dock strängare i Danmark och Norge än i Sverige. I Sverige, som tidigare nämnt, anses även kriminella vara unga tills dess att de fyller 21 år och får således reducerade straff.

En delad uppfattning mellan länderna är målet att vårda och behandla unga individer i syfte att stoppa och motverka kriminellt beteende snarare än genom institutionalisering således har ungdomsvård blivit en viktig alternativ och prioriterad sanktion. Historiskt härrör sig detta bland annat från FN:s konvention om barnets rättigheter undertecknad av alla de nordiska länderna, vilken uttryckligen stadgar att barn, yngre än 18 år gamla, skall ådömas andra mindre ingripande påföljder om möjligt i syfte att undvika institutioner likt fängelse. I samtliga av nordens länder är utgångspunkten densamma samt i linje med konventionen och har även blivit införlivad i svensk och norsk rätt, fastän Sverige valt att ta steget längre och inkludera unga vuxna. Viljan att slopa de rabatterade straffen har lyfts av såväl den svenska regeringen som av polismän, politiker och myndigheter som alla erkänner detta som ett problem. Det är fortfarande osäkert huruvida rättsområdet kommer att förändras till att följa den nordiska trenden men tack vare redan likalydande lagstiftningar samt med Norge och Danmark som förebilder finns alla möjligheter att genomföra förändringarna. (Less)
Abstract
To punish or not to punish young offenders and to what extent; that is the ongoing debate in Sweden as of today. More specifically, whether or not to prosecute 18-21 year olds as adults rather than youngsters. It would deem natural that individuals considered adults, legally at least, should also be considered adult enough to face charges in its full extent for their committed crimes. However, this is easier said than done and to this day criminals between the ages of 15 and 21 years old are given a discounted penalty. Although this may be the case in Sweden, it is not the ongoing trend in Denmark nor Norway.

The main purpose of this thesis is to give a brief view of the legislation in the Northern countries regarding young offenders... (More)
To punish or not to punish young offenders and to what extent; that is the ongoing debate in Sweden as of today. More specifically, whether or not to prosecute 18-21 year olds as adults rather than youngsters. It would deem natural that individuals considered adults, legally at least, should also be considered adult enough to face charges in its full extent for their committed crimes. However, this is easier said than done and to this day criminals between the ages of 15 and 21 years old are given a discounted penalty. Although this may be the case in Sweden, it is not the ongoing trend in Denmark nor Norway.

The main purpose of this thesis is to give a brief view of the legislation in the Northern countries regarding young offenders both historically and as of today. This in order to identify differences and similarities mainly between Sweden and Denmark, and what may have affected the respective legal system. Inspired by recent events where members of a swedish criminal gang where convicted in a danish court after commiting a double murder; two of the members being younger than 18 years old at the time. The strict sentence of 20 years in prison each became a debate in swedish media, since this would not have been the outcome had the event taken place in Sweden and in swedish court.

The most noticeable differences between the Northern countries’ legal systems is firstly how Norway as well as Denmark have both drawn a hard line between adult and young offenders at the age of 18, resulting in only giving minors leniency. Minors are nonetheless not fully free from consequences, thus 15 to 17 year olds can be prosecuted in all of the Nordic countries, although more strictly in Denmark and Norway than Sweden. In Sweden, as mentioned before, even criminals are considered young until they turn 21 years of age and therefore face reduced penalties. Secondly, both Denmark and Norway have established specific laws in order to control the gang violence that has close connection to the criminal youth, Sweden still has not which makes this another shortcoming.

A shared vision between the countries is the aim to nurture and treat young individuals in order to stop or prevent criminal behaviour rather than through institutionalizing thus youth care has been an important alternative and prioritized sanction. Historically this stems for instance from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child signed by all the northern countries, which explicitly states that children under the age of 18 shall be sentenced to other less invasive penalties if possible in order to avoid institutions such as prison. In all of the northern countries this starting point is the same as well as in line with the convention and it has even been transposed into swedish and norwegian national law, although Sweden has chosen to take it a step further and include young adults. The will to discard the discounted sentences has been brought up both by the swedish government and by policemen, politicians and authorities who all acknowledge this as an issue. It remains uncertain whether or not this field of law will change in order to follow the nordic trend but thanks to already similar legislation and with Norway and Denmark as role models, there is every opportunity to implement the changes. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Horndahl Vilör, Hannah LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20202
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
straffrätt, komparativ rätt, criminal law, comparative law, straffrabatt, unga lagöverträdare
language
Swedish
id
9034673
date added to LUP
2021-02-09 11:47:56
date last changed
2021-02-09 11:47:56
@misc{9034673,
  abstract     = {{To punish or not to punish young offenders and to what extent; that is the ongoing debate in Sweden as of today. More specifically, whether or not to prosecute 18-21 year olds as adults rather than youngsters. It would deem natural that individuals considered adults, legally at least, should also be considered adult enough to face charges in its full extent for their committed crimes. However, this is easier said than done and to this day criminals between the ages of 15 and 21 years old are given a discounted penalty. Although this may be the case in Sweden, it is not the ongoing trend in Denmark nor Norway. 

The main purpose of this thesis is to give a brief view of the legislation in the Northern countries regarding young offenders both historically and as of today. This in order to identify differences and similarities mainly between Sweden and Denmark, and what may have affected the respective legal system. Inspired by recent events where members of a swedish criminal gang where convicted in a danish court after commiting a double murder; two of the members being younger than 18 years old at the time. The strict sentence of 20 years in prison each became a debate in swedish media, since this would not have been the outcome had the event taken place in Sweden and in swedish court. 

The most noticeable differences between the Northern countries’ legal systems is firstly how Norway as well as Denmark have both drawn a hard line between adult and young offenders at the age of 18, resulting in only giving minors leniency. Minors are nonetheless not fully free from consequences, thus 15 to 17 year olds can be prosecuted in all of the Nordic countries, although more strictly in Denmark and Norway than Sweden. In Sweden, as mentioned before, even criminals are considered young until they turn 21 years of age and therefore face reduced penalties. Secondly, both Denmark and Norway have established specific laws in order to control the gang violence that has close connection to the criminal youth, Sweden still has not which makes this another shortcoming. 

A shared vision between the countries is the aim to nurture and treat young individuals in order to stop or prevent criminal behaviour rather than through institutionalizing thus youth care has been an important alternative and prioritized sanction. Historically this stems for instance from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child signed by all the northern countries, which explicitly states that children under the age of 18 shall be sentenced to other less invasive penalties if possible in order to avoid institutions such as prison. In all of the northern countries this starting point is the same as well as in line with the convention and it has even been transposed into swedish and norwegian national law, although Sweden has chosen to take it a step further and include young adults. The will to discard the discounted sentences has been brought up both by the swedish government and by policemen, politicians and authorities who all acknowledge this as an issue. It remains uncertain whether or not this field of law will change in order to follow the nordic trend but thanks to already similar legislation and with Norway and Denmark as role models, there is every opportunity to implement the changes.}},
  author       = {{Horndahl Vilör, Hannah}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Hårda bud på högre straffbud – En komparativ studie av de nordiska ländernas syn på unga lagöverträdare}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}