On May 13, 2025, the government approved the Child Crime Prevention and Child Protection against Criminal Offenses Plan for 2025–2027, which outlines several short-term measures to:
promote the reduction of child crime;
reduce delinquent behavior among children;
improve child safety by protecting them from threats to their health and life.
Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis: "In 2024, the number of administrative offenses committed by minors has decreased, while the number of minors who have committed criminal offenses has increased. Unfortunately, the number of children who have been victims of criminal offenses has also not decreased. Some of these cases have ended in tragedies known to all of us. Although young people commit crimes for various motives, at the heart of it is a child who has only just begun to shape their life path. Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that every young person has the rights and opportunities for a quality start in life."
The Ministry of Interior has included 30 measures in the Child Crime Prevention and Child Protection against Criminal Offenses Plan for 2025–2027, divided into 4 areas of action:
prevention;
measures for working with at-risk groups and juvenile offenders;
measures to improve work with children who have been victims of criminal offenses;
strengthening inter-institutional cooperation.
The measures included in the plan will be implemented within the framework of the financial resources provided for in the Law on the State Budget for the current year. Separate measures will be implemented by attracting funding from European Union funds, such as the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the Internal Security Fund.
More information (in Latvian) can be found here: https://www.iem.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/kozlovskis-politiku-pienakums-ir-nodrosinat-ikvienam-bernam-un-jaunietim-tiesibas-un-iespejas-kvalitativam-dzives-sakumam.
