Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Crime in the Netherlands - Statistics & Facts
The Dutch police force registered over 797,700 crimes in the year 2022, which is a significant increase in comparison to the previous year , though not necessarily in line with the decrease of the number of crimes recorded annually. The incarceration rate of Dutch citizens had been increasing from 2016 up until 2020, before dropping in 2021 to the point where 53.9 out of every 100,000 inhabitants of the Netherlands were incarcerated. There is, however, not much trust in the police in the Netherlands, as just over half of the Dutch population said they have trust in the police force.
Tragically, death is not an uncommon consequence of drug use in the Netherlands, as just under 300 deaths due to drug use were registered, most of which were due to opioid use.
On top of the high number of cases of discrimination that are registered, there has also been a significant rise in the number of hate crimes that are prosecuted, with around 485 in the most recent time period, compared to only 83 in 2013.
The Dutch drug market
The Netherlands is known to a lot of tourists and tohers as a country with an open mind regarding drugs, in particular soft drugs such as cannabis. However, many different drugs are illegal to use. In 2022, the Netherlands recorded over 11,600 illegal drug trades. Over 14,700 drug cases were sent to public prosecution, most of which were possession of hard drug and production of soft drugs cases. The number of drug and alcohol related nuisances have been declining, as only 185 were registered in 2022, compared to 838 in 2012.Tragically, death is not an uncommon consequence of drug use in the Netherlands, as just under 300 deaths due to drug use were registered, most of which were due to opioid use.
Discrimination in the Netherlands
Despite being seen as a tolerable country to foreigners and different cultures and ideas, the Netherlands experiences a significant amount of discrimination. In 2021, just under 2,800 cases of discrimination based on ethnicity were registered in the Netherlands, and over 2,100 based on sexual orientation. Furthermore, the number of new cases of discrimination against Muslims in the Netherlands stood at 165 in 2021, while the number of new cases of antisemitism have also remained very high in the past decade.On top of the high number of cases of discrimination that are registered, there has also been a significant rise in the number of hate crimes that are prosecuted, with around 485 in the most recent time period, compared to only 83 in 2013.
