Acts of serious violence committed by young people have experienced a sharp increase in recent years. In 2022, the OFS identified seven cases of serious bodily lesions involving 15 -year -olds. In 2023, this figure more than doubled to reach sixteen cases, and last year, they were already 18.
However, the total number of offenses committed by minors decreased by 2% in 2024. The crimes linked to the drug law even dropped by 25%. However, this drop was offset by an increase of 8% of traffic offenses, which made it possible to maintain the total of the judgments pronounced against minors at a stable level, or 23,077 court decisions.
In addition, the number of young people placed in the context of criminal measures increased slightly, reversing the trend of previous years which had seen the number of confinements decrease. At the same time, the Swiss Parliament hardened the criminal law of minors. From this July 1, the authors of murders aged 16 and over may be subject, under certain conditions, to a measure of detention similar to that provided for adults.
