Most pardons granted for traffic offences

Around 1.6 thousand decisions were taken with respect to requests for pardon in the Netherlands in 2008. Pardons were mainly requested in the case of traffic offences. Most offenders who requested a pardon did so to keep or to get a job. Just over six out of ten requests for prison sentences to be pardoned were rejected.

Pardon usually not granted for prison sentences

Nearly two-thirds of decisions concerning requests for pardon in 2008 concerned custodial sentences . Just over 60 percent of these decisions resulted in the request being rejected.  Community service penalties and fines, on the other hand were often annulled. Overall, the Ministry of Justice took 1.6 thousand decisions regarding requests for pardon. More than half of the requests were rejected.

Decisions regarding pardon requests by type of penalty, 2008

Many rejections for drug offences in particular

Most decisions regarding requests for pardon are related to traffic offences (34 percent), property crimes (23 percent) and violent crimes (18 percent). In the case of traffic offences, most requests for pardon are granted. For drugs offences they are mostly rejected.

Decisions regarding pardon by type of offence, 2008

Work and illness mains reasons for requesting a pardon

The most mentioned reason (32 percent) for applying for a pardon was to get or to keep a job. Illness was given as a reason in 22 percent of cases. Two-thirds of decisions concerning pardon requests concerned convicted offenders born in the Netherlands; just over four out of five were men and just over one third were claiming benefit. The average age of offenders requesting a pardon was just under 40 years.

Reasons for requesting a pardon, 2008

Carlijn Verkleij

keywords:

summary: eerste twee zinnen