The Penal Code

Part I. General provisions

Chapter 8 a. Youth sentences

Section 52 a.Conditions for imposing a youth sentence

A youth sentence including a youth victim-offender meeting and youth action plan pursuant to chapter IV of the National Mediation Service Act may be imposed instead of a sentence of imprisonment if

a.	the offender was under 18 years of age at the time of the act,

b.	the offender has committed repeated or serious criminal acts,

c.	the offender consents and is domiciled in Norway, and

d.	the purpose of the penalty would not be defeated by a non-custodial sanction.

Section 52 b.Execution period and alternative sentence of imprisonment

When imposing a youth sentence, the court shall set:

a.	An execution period of between six months and two years. If the sentence of imprisonment that would have been imposed in the absence of a youth sentence clearly exceeds two years, an execution period of up to three years may be set.

b.	An alternative sentence of imprisonment, which shall correspond to the sentence of imprisonment that would have been imposed in the absence of a youth sentence. Section 31 shall apply correspondingly to the setting of an alternative sentence of imprisonment.

When a judgment imposing a youth sentence is read out to or served on the convicted person, he/she shall be informed in detail about the content of the judgment, and about the consequences of breaching the provisions made in or pursuant to section 31 of the National Mediation Service Act and of committing a further criminal act prior to the end of the execution period.

Section 52 c.Breach of conditions for a youth sentence

On application, the district court may by judgment decide that all or parts of the alternative sentence of imprisonment shall be executed when the convicted person has

a.	breached provisions issued in or pursuant to section 31 of the National Mediation Service Act, or

b.	committed a further criminal act before the end of the execution period.

In connection with such reversal, the court shall take into account how much of the youth sentence has already been executed.

In the event of reversal pursuant to the first paragraph, b), the court may pass an aggregate sentence for both acts or a separate sentence in respect of the new act.

An application pursuant to the first paragraph, a), is made by the correctional services. An application pursuant to the first paragraph, b), is made by the prosecuting authority. The application must be submitted to the court within three months of the end of the execution period.

The rules on defence counsel and on arrest and remand in custody in section 96, third paragraph, and section 99, first paragraph, third sentence, and chapter 14 of the Criminal Procedure Act apply correspondingly. The rules on notification in section 243 of the Criminal Procedure Act apply correspondingly to court hearings concerning reversal. The correctional services shall be notified pursuant to the same rules that apply with regard to the prosecuting authority.