Spending on security growing faster than GDP

Spending on security governance in the Netherlands rose by more than 6 percent per year on average in the period 2002-2008. This was nearly one and a half times the growth rate of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the same period.

Nearly 11 billion euro spent on security in 2008

Together, government, companies and households spent 7.5 billion euro on security governance in 2002; by 2008 this had risen to 10.8 billion euro. In terms of money, prevention was the largest group of activities in 2008, accounting for 44 percent of spending, followed by investigation (26 percent) and execution of sanctions (19 percent).

Spending on security governance per activity (current prices)

Strongest growth in spending on justice, sanctions and victim support

Spending on legal services, victim support, administration of justice and execution of sanctions grew the fastest, by more than 8 percent per year on average. Together these activities accounted for more than one quarter of spending in 2008. Spending on investigation, prosecution and support for suspects and convicts each grew by less than 5 percent per year; this was below average growth.

Police spend most on security

The police accounted for 40 percent of spending on security governance in 2008. The National Agency of Correctional Institutions, and private security and investigation companies each accounted for 17 percent. Together spending by the Public Prosecution Service and the judiciary accounted for 8 percent of total expenditure.

Security by provider, 2008*

Local government increases funding by most

The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations is the largest source of funding of security governance. It accounted for 40 percent of total expenditure in 2008. The Ministry of Justice funded  31 percent and other ministries 10 percent. Companies and households financed 14 percent of security. Although local government provided only 5 percent of the money spent, its spending increased faster than that of other sources of funding between 2002 and 2008, by an average 12 percent per year.

Security by source of funding, 2008*

Raymond Kleingeld and Jurriën de Jong