Sweden reports rise in criminal manipulation of minors

The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) has released findings regarding how criminal networks recruit children and young people for serious violent crimes. The investigation highlights that digital media has become a primary tool for this exploitation.

Researchers identified three main recruitment strategies: online crime advertisements, direct contact via social media, and the use of intermediaries who supply children to criminal organizers. Once contact is established, perpetrators often use a combination of positive reinforcement—promising money, status, and easy work—and strategic psychological pressure.

Investigators noted that communication is often tailored to children to downplay risks. However, the tone frequently shifts to a highly intense, threatening, and aggressive nature once a minor agrees to a task, often involving around-the-clock digital contact to ensure the crime is executed.