After 12-year-old assault in Marijampolė, MP suggests returning to Soviet-era practices

A 12-year-old girl in Marijampolė was filmed assaulting another minor, sparking a debate on juvenile accountability, LRT reports.

Following the incident, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius announced plans to discuss prevention measures with institutions. Meanwhile, MP Dainius Gaižauskas of the “Valstietis” party proposed tightening juvenile criminal liability, suggesting that children as young as 12 could face prosecution for serious crimes.

“Twelve years old could certainly be the threshold where we begin to take action. Juvenile crime is becoming more brutal, with minors increasingly involved in organized groups or violent offenses. The state must take more serious measures,” Gaižauskas argued.

Police data shows a decline in juvenile crime, with 367 pre-trial investigations launched in the first half of this year—a 10% drop compared to the same period last year. Over the past decade, juvenile offenses have decreased by two and a half times, though theft, drug-related crimes, and bullying remain prevalent, according to Ramūnas Matonis of the Police Department.

Criminologist Gintautas Sakalauskas criticized Gaižauskas’ proposal, calling it a relic of the Soviet system. Lithuania already has a strict juvenile justice system, with minors as young as 14 facing up to 10 years in prison for certain crimes. Sakalauskas noted that while some European countries prosecute younger offenders, their systems are less punitive.

“If these problems could be solved so easily, they would have been resolved long ago. In my view, this would be an overly harsh reaction, especially since it would only affect a very small number of children who commit crimes,” Sakalauskas said.

Gaižauskas also suggested reinstating juvenile inspectors, a Soviet-era role focused on prevention and monitoring at-risk youth. However, Sakalauskas dismissed this as a “purely Soviet invention,” arguing that police officers performing social work contradicts Lithuania’s Social Services Law.

Police representatives emphasized that the state has long prioritized education over intimidation, with officers maintaining close ties to schools and community officers assigned to engage with at-risk students.

Prime Minister Sinkevičius condemned the incident, stating: “There is no justification for such events in our country. We will find a way to meet with colleagues and institutional leaders to discuss what more we can do to prevent such cases in the future.”