The Finnish government is introducing a major legal reform that suggests allowing certain serious crimes to be settled with monetary fines. This proposal aims to address the backlog in the Finnish criminal justice system, which has been struggling with delays. Under the new system, police and prosecutors would gain the authority to impose fines in straightforward cases, making legal proceedings more efficient and enabling law enforcement resources to focus on more complex criminal matters.

Justice Minister Leena Meri supports the reform, emphasizing that this change will help enhance the efficiency of the legal process while ensuring that individuals' legal rights remain safeguarded. The initiative is designed to alleviate pressure on the courts and speed up the resolution of criminal cases, particularly those that do not warrant lengthy trials or heavy penalties. The reform could potentially shift some of the legal decision-making power from prosecutors to the police, streamlining the process further.

Additionally, the proposed changes would expand the range of offenses eligible for fine settlement to include crimes with a maximum penalty of up to two years of imprisonment. This marks a significant expansion of the previous criteria, by allowing more offenses to be dealt with in a less formal and quicker manner while aiming to provide a more efficient legal system for both victims and offenders in Finland.