Over the past eight years, the number of convicted young people in Latvia has decreased by almost half, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB).
In 2016, the court sentenced 3,851 young people aged 18 to 29, while in 2024, the number was 1,515. The majority of convicted young people are men - 1,384.
The share of youth among the total number of convicts continues to decrease - from 40% in 2016 to 25% in 2024. Most young convicts are aged 18 to 24.
Young people are most often sentenced for theft, fraud, and embezzlement of small amounts - these crimes account for 26% of cases. The number of young people convicted of serious crimes, such as murder or causing serious bodily harm, has decreased, while the number convicted of rape has slightly increased.
Last year, the most commonly applied punishment for young people was imprisonment - 742 individuals were sentenced to it. Another 410 young people were sentenced to short-term imprisonment, and 45 to probation supervision.
