2025-06-042024/25:UbU21 · p.3UbUEducation
The principal's obligation to report crimes etc.
Principals' duty to report crimes and power to search bags
What's at stake: The decision concerns how young children suspected of crimes at school are handled by principals and police, and where the line is drawn between protecting other pupils and protecting the individual child from early contact with the justice system. It also affects pupils' privacy through the principal's power to search bags.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the duty to report school-related crimes to the police should have no lower age limit and how the balance against reporting should be struck, and whether principals should be able to decide that pupils' bags are searched - the government's approach unchanged versus a reservation that wants the severity of the offence and the child's age weighed more explicitly.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee agrees with the government's assessment that the duty to report crimes to the police should have no age limit, and that a police report does not replace other measures, such as reporting concerns to social services. The committee also agrees that the principal should be able to decide that specially designated staff may search bags and other items at school to prevent disorder and crime, and therefore rejects the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 2 (S)
The reserving party (S) largely agrees with the bill but considers that the inquiry's balance of what counts as compelling reasons against reporting to police is more reasonable than the government's, and wants the severity of the offence and the child's age to weigh more heavily. The party also argues the government has not sufficiently considered research suggesting that early police contact for children as young as six can raise the risk of future criminality and erode trust in the justice system.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 2 by S.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Abstain 0/0/20/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | No 0/93/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/15/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Abstain 0/0/21/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 13/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | Yes | Yes 16/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 61/0/0/7 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2024/25:3424 by Åsa Westlund et al. (S) demand 1, 2024/25:3425 by Niels Paarup-Petersen et al. (C) demands 1 and 2 and 2024/25:3426 by Camilla Hansén et al. (MP) demands 1 and 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:3424 av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S) yrkande 1, 2024/25:3425 av Niels Paarup-Petersen m.fl. (C) yrkandena 1 och 2 samt 2024/25:3426 av Camilla Hansén m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 1 och 2.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag approved the government's proposal on schools' crime prevention security work being included as a new chapter in the Education Act. The proposal means, among other things, that there must be a preparedness plan and ongoing security work at each preschool and school unit to handle a serious violent situation or threat of such. Measures must also be taken to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to the preschool or school unit's premises during the time the activity is taking place. The proposal also means that confidentiality shall apply to information relating to schools' preparedness plans and ongoing preparedness work for serious violent and threatening situations. The proposal also means that principals shall be able to decide that bags and other items that students have with them to school, or to a school activity outside the school's premises, may be searched. If a suspected crime has been committed by a student in connection with the school's activities, the principal shall make a police report, unless there are overriding reasons not to do so. The legislative changes enter into force on 1 July 2025.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to adjust mandatory police reporting thresholds to consider crime severity and child age. (S) — Reservation 2
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan states that the Children's Convention must be realized and that the best interests of the child must be the starting point in every situation.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that the Children's Convention must be realized and that the best interests of the child must be the starting point in every situation. The counter-proposal wants the seriousness of the crime and the child's age to be taken into account before a police report is made, citing research on early police contacts, which is in line with the plan's requirement that penalties and measures must be carefully designed to actually reduce crime. The plan also warns against repressive reflexes replacing real solutions.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att barnkonventionen ska förverkligas och att barnets bästa ska vara utgångspunkt i varje läge. Motförslaget vill att brottets allvar och barnets ålder vägs in innan en polisanmälan görs, med hänvisning till forskning om tidiga poliskontakter, vilket ligger i linje med planens krav på att påföljder och åtgärder ska vara noggrant utformade för att faktiskt minska brottsligheten. Planen varnar också för att repressiva reflexer ersätter verkliga lösningar.
- Children's Convention and best interests of the childdecisive»liga barnkonventionen och principen att i varje läge se till barnets« (party programme ↗)“implement the Children's Convention and the principle that in every situation, see the best interests of the child”
- penalties designed for effect»Straff och andra påföljder för brott behöver vara noggrant« (party programme ↗)“Punishments and other penalties for crime need to be carefully”
- against repression as a solution»Alltför ofta lyfts repression och hårdare tag upp som lösningar istället för att ta itu med problemen på allvar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“All too often repression and harsher measures are put forward as solutions instead of really tackling the problems.”
- stronger children's rights»Utvecklingen mot starkare rättigheter för barn är en av de progressiva« (party programme ↗)“The development toward stronger rights for children is one of the progressive”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme requires criminal policy based on evidence, effectiveness and legal safeguards, which is precisely what the counter-proposal invokes when it wants research on early police contact with small children to be weighed in the evaluation.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires criminal policy based on evidence, effectiveness and legal safeguards, which is precisely what the counter-proposal invokes when it wants research on early police contact with small children to be weighed in the evaluation. The plan also emphasises the social services' role in catching up with young people in time and rehabilitation rather than only formal response. This speaks for an age-differentiated evaluation rather than an unconditional reporting requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver en kriminalpolitik byggd på evidens, effektivitet och rättssäkerhet, vilket är just vad motförslaget åberopar när det vill att forskningen om tidiga poliskontakter med små barn ska vägas in i avvägningen. Planen lägger också tyngd vid socialtjänstens roll att fånga upp unga i tid och vid rehabilitering snarare än enbart formell reaktion. Det talar för en åldersdifferentierad avvägning framför en undantagslös anmälningsplikt.
- evidence-based criminal policydecisive»Kriminalpolitik byggd på evidens, effektivitet och rättssäkerhet.« (party programme ↗)“Criminal policy based on evidence, effectiveness and legal safeguards.”
- social services catch up with young people»Att socialtjänsten stärks är centralt för att fånga upp unga i tid.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That social services are strengthened is central to catching up with young people in time.”
- counter recruitment of children»Offensiva insatser mot nyrekrytering och utnyttjande av barn och unga.« (party programme ↗)“Offensive measures against recruitment and exploitation of children and young people.”
- rehabilitation and return»Fokus på rehabilitering och återgång i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Focus on rehabilitation and return to society.”
The plan requires that the Child Convention becomes Swedish law and that political decisions are preceded by child impact analysis, which is exactly the balancing the counter-proposal calls for when the child's age should weigh more heavily against a police report.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that the Child Convention becomes Swedish law and that political decisions are preceded by child impact analysis, which is exactly the balancing the counter-proposal calls for when the child's age should weigh more heavily against a police report. The plan also sees crime prevention work, not early police contacts, as the foundation for reducing children's entry into crime. The counter-proposal's requirement thus aligns with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att barnkonventionen blir svensk lag och att politiska beslut föregås av barnkonsekvensanalys, vilket är just den avvägning motförslaget efterlyser när barnets ålder ska väga tyngre mot en polisanmälan. Planen ser också det brottsförebyggande arbetet, inte tidiga poliskontakter, som grunden för att minska barns väg in i kriminalitet. Motförslagets krav ligger därmed i linje med planen.
- Child Convention as lawdecisive»FN:s barnkonvention ska bli svensk lag och politiska beslut bör föregås av en barnkonsekvensanalys.« (party programme ↗)“The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child shall become Swedish law and political decisions should be preceded by a child impact analysis.”
- prevention through reduced vulnerability»Det viktigaste brottsförebyggande arbetet sker genom att minska marginaliseringen och utsattheten i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“The most important crime prevention work occurs through reducing marginalisation and vulnerability in society.”
- prevention work before punishment»storsatsa på det förebyggande arbetet i socioekonomiskt eftersatta områden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“invest heavily in prevention work in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme places children's rights and perspectives first when society's actors act, and criminal policy shall both prevent crime and lead those who have committed crimes to a new life situation.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme places children's rights and perspectives first when society's actors act, and criminal policy shall both prevent crime and lead those who have committed crimes to a new life situation. The counter-proposal's requirement that the seriousness of the crime and the child's age should carry more weight in the assessment of police reporting follows from this. The plan also emphasizes that legislation shall be tested against its impact on personal integrity, which speaks for a more balanced order than an unconditional reporting obligation.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet sätter barnens rättigheter och perspektiv främst när samhällets aktörer agerar, och kriminalpolitiken ska både förebygga brott och leda den som begått brott till en ny livssituation. Motförslagets krav på att brottets allvar och barnets ålder ska väga tyngre vid bedömningen av polisanmälan följer av det. Planen betonar också att lagstiftning ska prövas mot sin påverkan på den personliga integriteten, vilket talar för en mer avvägd ordning än en undantagslös anmälningsplikt.
- child's perspective firstdecisive»Samhällets aktörer ska inta individens perspektiv. Av största betydelse är då barnens rättigheter och perspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“Society's actors shall adopt the individual's perspective. Of paramount importance then are children's rights and perspectives.”
- preventive criminal policy»Kriminalpolitiken ska därför både förebygga och avskräcka från brott, stödja brottsdrabbade och stimulera dem som har begått olagliga handlingar till en ny livssituation utan brottslighet.« (party programme ↗)“Criminal policy shall therefore both prevent and deter from crime, support crime victims and encourage those who have committed illegal acts to a new life situation without criminality.”
- integrity review of lawsweak support»All lagstiftning bör prövas mot dess påverkan på människors personliga integritet.« (party programme ↗)“All legislation should be tested against its impact on people's personal integrity.”
- prevent recruitment to crime»För att besegra dem krävs bättre insatser som förebygger nyrekrytering« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To defeat them requires better measures that prevent new recruitment”
flags: citat_svagt
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan establishes that the main rule shall be that schools always file police reports when suspecting crime, precisely so that police and social services always get knowledge of children who are on the wrong track.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the main rule shall be that schools always file police reports when suspecting crime, precisely so that police and social services always get knowledge of children who are on the wrong track. It also wants crimes committed by children under 15 as a main rule to be investigated by police and that efforts against young people become earlier and clearer. The counter-proposal's requirement to weigh the child's young age higher against a police report pulls in the opposite direction from this commitment.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att huvudregeln ska vara att skolan alltid gör polisanmälan vid misstänkt brottslighet, just för att polis och socialtjänst alltid ska få kännedom om barn som är på fel väg. Den vill också att brott begångna av barn under 15 år som huvudregel utreds av polis och att insatserna mot unga blir tidigare och tydligare. Motförslagets krav på att i högre grad väga barnets låga ålder emot en polisanmälan drar åt motsatt håll mot detta åtagande.
- police report as main ruledecisive»För att polis och socialtjänst alltid ska få kännedom om barn som är på fel väg i livet ska huvudregeln bli att skolan alltid gör polisanmälan och orosanmälan vid misstänkt brottslighet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“For police and social services always to get knowledge of children who are on the wrong track in life, the main rule shall be that schools always file police reports and child welfare reports when suspecting crime.”
- young offenders investigated»Huvudregeln ska vara att alla brott som anmäls till polis och där den misstänkte är under 15 år« (party programme ↗)“The main rule shall be that all crimes reported to police and where the suspect is under 15 years”
- early tough efforts against youth crime»Tidigare, tydligare och tuffare insatser för att förebygga och förhindra att unga glider in i brottslighet måste till.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Earlier, clearer and tougher efforts to prevent and stop young people drifting into crime are necessary.”
- early efforts break crime patterns»Tidiga och tydliga insatser för unga brottslingar ökar möjligheten att bryta ett kriminellt beteende.« (party programme ↗)“Early and clear efforts for young offenders increase the possibility of breaking a criminal pattern.”
The counter-proposal wants more reasons to argue against police reporting, with greater regard for the child's age.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants more reasons to argue against police reporting, with greater regard for the child's age. The party programme instead states firmly that a swift response to committed crimes and increased risk of detection is important and that the authorities should respond particularly swiftly to crimes by young people, and the election manifesto wants to strengthen compulsory measures against children and young people who commit crimes. The Convention on the Rights of the Child's position in the plan gives some support to the counter-proposal, but the early and clear response carries more weight.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill att fler skäl ska kunna tala mot polisanmälan, med större hänsyn till barnets ålder. Principprogrammet slår tvärtom fast att en snabb reaktion på begångna brott och ökad upptäcktsrisk är viktig och att myndigheterna särskilt snabbt ska reagera på brott av unga, och valmanifestet vill stärka de tvingande insatserna mot barn och unga som begår brott. Barnkonventionens ställning i planen ger visst stöd åt motförslaget, men den tidiga och tydliga reaktionen väger tyngre.
- swift response to crimesdecisive»snabb reaktion på begångna brott och en ökad upptäcktsrisk för förövarna är viktigt.« (party programme ↗)“swift response to committed crimes and an increased risk of detection for perpetrators is important.”
- early compulsory measures against young people»Stärk sociala insatser och socialtjänstens möjligheter till tvingande åtgärder gentemot barn och unga som begår brott.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen social measures and the social services' opportunities for compulsory measures towards children and young people who commit crimes.”
- swift response to youth crime»är särskilt viktigt att myndigheterna reagerar snabbt på« (party programme ↗)“it is particularly important that the authorities respond swiftly to”
- the child's best interests»barnets bästa ska komma i främsta rummet.« (party programme ↗)“the child's best interests shall come first.”
The counter-proposal wants to weigh the child's young age as grounds against police reports and warns of early police contact.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to weigh the child's young age as grounds against police reports and warns of early police contact. The plan's line is the opposite: young offenders should be met with early and clear consequences, the age of criminal responsibility should be investigated for lowering and secrecy barriers between police and social services should be removed so that an incipient criminal path is broken quickly. The plan therefore argues against raising the threshold for police reports on the basis of age.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill väga in barnets låga ålder som skäl mot polisanmälan och varnar för tidiga poliskontakter. Planens linje är den motsatta: unga lagöverträdare ska mötas av tidiga och tydliga konsekvenser, straffmyndighetsåldern ska utredas för sänkning och sekretesshindren mellan polis och socialtjänst ska tas bort så att en påbörjad kriminell bana bryts snabbt. Planen talar därför emot att höja tröskeln för polisanmälan med hänvisning till ålder.
- early clear consequencesdecisive»de som ändå väljer den brottsliga vägen ska mötas av tidiga och tydliga konsekvenser« (2022 manifesto ↗)“those who nonetheless choose the criminal path should be met with early and clear consequences”
- lowered age of criminal responsibility»Utreda sänkt straffmyndighetsålder och inrätta ungdomsfängelser« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Investigate lowering the age of criminal responsibility and establish youth prisons”
- police and social services in cooperation»Ta bort sekretesshindren mellan polis och socialtjänst samt inrätta ett nationellt no entry-program för unga i riskzonen i syfte att snabbt stoppa en påbörjad kriminell karriär« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Remove the secrecy barriers between police and social services and establish a national no entry programme for young people at risk with the aim of quickly stopping an incipient criminal career”
- more care orders for young people»Se till att fler unga lagöverträdare omhändertas enligt lagen om vård av unga« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that more young offenders are taken into care under the law on the care of young people”
The counter-proposal wants the child's young age to speak more heavily against police report.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants the child's young age to speak more heavily against police report. The plan goes in the opposite direction: it requires zero tolerance where even less serious crimes are investigated and prosecuted, that the age of criminal responsibility is lowered and that social services, schools and the justice system shall be able to intervene more forcefully at an early stage. Early markings against young people in criminal environments are explicitly part of the line.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill att barnets låga ålder i högre grad ska tala emot polisanmälan. Planen går i motsatt riktning: den kräver nolltolerans där även mindre allvarliga brott utreds och lagförs, att straffmyndighetsåldern sänks och att socialtjänst, skola och rättsväsende ska kunna ingripa med tuffare tag i ett tidigt skede. Tidiga markeringar mot unga i kriminella miljöer är uttryckligen en del av linjen.
- zero tolerance for crimedecisive»Införa nolltolerans mot brott så att även mindre allvarliga brott utreds och lagförs« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce zero tolerance for crime so that even less serious crimes are investigated and prosecuted”
- lowered age of criminal responsibility»Sänka straffmyndighetsåldern« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower the age of criminal responsibility”
- early interventions for young people»Ge socialtjänst, skola och rättsväsende möjlighet att ingripa med tuffare tag i ett tidigt skede« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Give social services, schools and the justice system the opportunity to intervene more forcefully at an early stage”
- early markings against young people»Det kan bara göras med samtidiga polisiära och ingripande insatser mot de individer som idag befinner sig i kriminella miljöer och med tidiga markeringar mot de som finns i gängen och klanernas utkanter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“This can only be done with simultaneous police and interventional action against the individuals who are now in criminal environments and with early markings against those who are on the periphery of gangs and clans.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:UbU21)
- Committee report full text (HC01UbU21)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:3422 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:160 Skolor mot brott av Daniel Riazat m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:3424 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:160 Skolor mot brott av Åsa Westlund m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:3425 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:160 Skolor mot brott av Niels Paarup-Petersen m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:3426 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:160 Skolor mot brott av Camilla Hansén m.fl. (MP)
- Proposition 2024/25:160 — Skolor mot brott
Source: The Swedish Parliament