In 2025, the Oslo Conflict Council reported a significant rise in juvenile criminal cases, receiving a total of 67—a sharp increase from just 33 in the previous year.
Katinka Hartmann, head of the Oslo Conflict Council, attributes this surge in juvenile offending to legislative changes implemented in autumn 2024, alongside a troubling rise in serious crimes among children and adolescents. In her press release, Hartmann emphasized that imprisonment for youth should be a measure of last resort, reflecting a growing trend where the council is now confronted with more severe juvenile cases than ever before.
Increasing Severity of Cases
When factoring in follow-up cases from the prior year, the conflict council addressed a total of 141 youth reaction cases—a notable drop from 107 in 2025. As the volume of cases escalates, so too does their complexity and severity.
Despite these challenges, the Conflict Council maintains that juvenile punishment and rehabilitation measures are effective. Approximately 74 percent of young offenders successfully complete their imposed sanctions.
Most of the punitive actions stem from incidents involving violence, with boys comprising the majority of those receiving such penalties. A common thread among these youths is the multifaceted challenges they face, often stemming from adverse childhood experiences and difficult living conditions. Many have also been victims of serious offenses themselves.