Penalties and non-penalty measures for juvenile offenders under Swedish criminal law and some lessons for Vietnam

Abstract

The proportion of juvenile offenders in Vietnam who are sentenced to imprisonment, including suspended imprisonment, remains significantly high. Meanwhile, the Law on Juvenile Justice provides for other alternative sanctions like warnings, fines, and non-custodial rehabilitation. This situation raises concerns regarding the adequate protection of the best interests of juveniles. Therefore, this article examines the provisions of Swedish criminal law on penalties and non-penalty measures applicable to juvenile offenders, and on that basis draws several lessons for Vietnam.