The Norwegian government has introduced new and tougher sentencing measures for young offenders. The changes, which came into force at the turn of the month, are said to aim to improve the sentencing system for young offenders by offering what are described as quicker and more consistent measures from society.

The changes aim to reduce re-offending and improve young people’s chances of reintegrating into society.

The new framework introduces a number of changes to the way juvenile offenses are handled, including juvenile sentences and juvenile follow-up, giving courts greater flexibility to combine juvenile sentences with up to six months of unconditional imprisonment in serious cases, and to use electronic monitoring (ankle bracelet) when necessary.

Furthermore, the requirement for the consent of the young offender and his/her guardian to a juvenile sentence is removed Instead, it introduces a requirement for the court to consider that a juvenile sentence is an appropriate sanction

“The requirement of consent during the enforcement of the sanction is removed for both juvenile sanctions and juvenile supervision This does not apply to measures which by their nature require the consent of the young person, such as treatment or work It is also proposed to legislate on the young person’s right to participation and to introduce a right of appeal“, it adds.

“Should not be voluntary”

Local courts will also be given greater powers to set up a ‘fast track’ to ensure that young offenders can be brought to justice as quickly as possible, with the hope of reducing the risk of them reoffending over a long period of time.

The government hopes that these measures will lead to more effective management of juvenile crime while offering opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration into society. At the same time, rules on the duty to inform between different authorities are clarified to ensure better coordination in sentence enforcement

– We must be clear that crime has consequences Youth sentences should not be voluntary and the police should be able to arrest young people who do not follow up on their youth sentence, says Minister for Justice and Public Security Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp).

– If a young person serving a youth sentence does not comply with the requirements, for example taking drugs and staying in unauthorized places, the court can decide that the young person should continue to serve the sentence with an ankle bracelet, she continues