A new Swedish report reveals troubling patterns about girls in gang crime environments. The study from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention shows most female offenders have personal ties to male criminals. These girls often enter crime through family, romantic, or friendship relationships with older males.
Nearly 70% of these girls have previously been crime victims themselves. Many experienced violence before becoming offenders. Both women's shelters and police note girls in gang environments face greater risks than statistics show.
Adine Samadi of ROKS women's shelter network strongly opposes placing convicted girls in adult prisons. She says these girls rarely receive justice for crimes committed against them.
The prison system faces practical challenges with young female inmates. Women's prisons in Sagsjön and Ystad must prepare to receive girls as young as 15. Prison authorities express concern about limited time and space to accommodate this change.
Peder Eilersson of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service acknowledged the tight timeline in a recent statement. The system must create youth sections while managing current overcrowding.
Previously, officials suggested young female offenders might need placement with older inmates. The small number of convicted girls makes separate facilities difficult while avoiding isolation.
Now prison authorities refuse questions about conditions for young girls. This follows government proposals to lower the criminal responsibility age to 13. A spokesperson said they're preparing an official response to the age-lowering proposal.
Police intelligence identifies approximately 10,000 women connected to criminal networks. Only 7% actively participate in crimes. Two-thirds of women over 15 in these networks have been crime victims themselves.
The crime prevention council interviewed 31 girls involved with criminal networks. Most described unstable childhoods marked by mental health issues, substance abuse, poverty, and violence. Their average age for first drug use was 12-14 years.
Girls typically perform supporting roles in gang crime. They transport, store, and package drugs. Gangs use them as helpers and enablers for serious crimes. Girls rarely participate in crime planning but sometimes carry out punishments against girls from rival gangs.
The report emphasizes that leaving gang life requires more than exit programs. Girls themselves request protection from violence, independent housing, and employment.
Researchers stress that risk assessments shouldn't follow male norms. They need deeper understanding of different relationship levels within criminal networks. The council highlights the importance of reducing reoffending, particularly with women's prisons already overcrowded.
This situation shows Sweden's struggle to balance punishment and protection for young female offenders. The system must address both their crimes and their victimization.