The total number of registered crimes in 2025 remained roughly the same as the previous year: with 800,974 cases, this is 0.6 percent more than in 2024. We must be careful not to lull ourselves to sleep with general figures, warns the chief today in the Volkskrant. In a double interview with Public Prosecution Service head Rinus Otte, the two organizations call attention to necessary changes to adequately address new forms of crime that have a major impact on victims.
Juvenile suspects
The number of juvenile suspects of street robbery and assaults is rapidly increasing. In 2025, there were 1,457, which is over 13 percent more than a year earlier and 24 percent more than in 2023. The share of juvenile suspects of street robbery and assaults grew in ten years from 35 to 55 percent.
Knol: We notice that young people previously gradually built a career in crime, while now they more quickly move to serious crimes such as street robbery and assaults. They also easily switch between different forms of on- and offline crime.
Impact
Knol: The impact of crime is growing, although this is less visible in police figures. The shame associated with online fraud or scams is great, and the chance of being caught is relatively low. One perpetrator can easily cause hundreds or even more victims worldwide. The police system is still mainly designed to combat traditional, local crime. Due to police funding methods, there is little room to invest in technology, even if it yields more in fighting crime and helping victims.
Online sexual abuse
The increase in online sexual abuse worries the chief: The good news is that the willingness to report seems to be increasing. At the same time, society lacks measures to prevent things from going wrong. On the internet, there is hardly any supervision or correction, as we are used to at school or on the street. We spend more and more time in a kind of moral vacuum. Last weekend, we reported that at least five Dutch girls were driven to suicide under pressure from sadistic chat groups. The online platforms where this occurs must do more to prevent abuse. It is also of utmost importance that parents become aware of the risks and discuss with their children what they experience online.
New perspective
The number of incidents involving people with confused behavior also broke a record in 2025. The police registered 168,960 incidents; a 12 percent increase compared to 2024. In practice, the police are overwhelmed with problems that cannot be solved by the police and criminal law. I draw inspiration from the 1980s. Back then, problems with minor crimes like vandalism and theft were very large. A committee led by politician Hein Roethof advised many measures society could take and thereby gave the concrete start to more prevention. From burglary prevention to more control and supervision in public transport. That new perspective on causes and solutions led to a long period of declining crime. I would like a government commissioner or committee to again look broadly at the changing security issue and come up with new solutions.
From January 15, police figures from 2025 are available in the portal data.politie.nl