Fewer young crime suspects

In 2012, 66 thousand young people in the age category 12-24 were arrested on suspicion of having committed at least one criminal offence, i.e. a reduction by nearly one third relative to 2007. The most substantial reduction occurred among underage suspects. Proportionally, most young people arrested by the police are living in the major cities.

Number of underage crime suspects notably down

In 2012, 18 thousand underage people (12 to17-year-olds) and 48 thousand young adults (18 to 24-year-olds) were arrested by the police. The number of young people arrested by the police fell by 30 percent in 2012 compared to 2007. The number of underage crime suspects arrested by the police was reduced by nearly half relative to 2007 and the number of young adults by 20 percent, as the Juvenile Crime Monitor - a joint publication by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) and the Research and Documentation Centre (WODC) - shows.

Young people arrested on suspicion of having committed a criminal offence

Rotterdam has highest rate of underage crime suspects

In 2012, the police arrested 14 individuals in every thousand minors on suspicion of having committed a crime. The highest rates were found in Rotterdam (35 per thousand), The Hague (26), Amsterdam (22) and Utrecht (20). With 9 in every thousand, the large municipalities of Breda and Amersfoort registered the lowest rates. Since 2007, the number of underage persons arrested by the police in the four major Dutch cities was reduced most substantially (by 60 percent) in Utrecht.

Underage crime suspects by municipality of residence

The Hague has the highest young adult crime rate

With 49 per thousand, The Hague had the highest rate of young adults (aged 18-24) arrested by the police, followed by Rotterdam (48), Amsterdam (31) and Utrecht (24). With a rate of 13 in every thousand, the lowest rate was recorded in Groningen. The national average stands at 29. Since 2007, the number of young adult crime suspects has declined most dramatically (by 35 percent) in Amsterdam.

Young adults arrested by the police by municipality of residence

Rob Kessels and Harry Eggen