Set up to fail – welfare-based sanctions and probation for children involved in crime in Denmark.

This article examines Denmark’s 2019 youth crime prevention reform, which introduced Youth Crime Boards (YCBs) and Youth Probation Services (YPS) to deliver compulsory improvement programmes for children aged 10–17 involved in serious or violent offenses. The system merges child welfare interventions with criminal justice logics, creating "punitive pockets" where welfare measures are enforced through intensive supervision, control, and coercion, blurring the line between care and punishment. Drawing on qualitative data from interviews and observations, the study highlights children’s experiences of stigmatization, constrained autonomy, and strained trust in adult relationships, particularly among vulnerable youth facing multiple adversities. The reform marks a shift from traditional Nordic welfare approaches toward more punitive policies, raising concerns about legal safeguards, the effectiveness of compulsory interventions, and potential harm to children’s well-being and development.