Criminal law; key figures 1994-2016
Explanation of symbols
Dataset is not available.
This table provides data on criminal cases brought before subdistrict and district courts and settlements under the Act Mulder (enforcement of traffic regulations). Data about convictions and aquittals in criminal cases brought before the subdistrict courts in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 are temporarily not available, due to changes in the reports by the subdistrict courts. Data about subdistrict court criminal cases in 2014 and 2015 are not available.
Data available from: 1994
Status of the figures: the figures of the most recent year are provisional, previous years are final data.
The figures of the most recent year are provisional, previous years are final data.
The data on penal orders of the GPS-system proved to be incomplete, which causes an underestimation of the number of penal orders.
Also the data on settlements by judge of the COMPAS-system proved to be incomplete due to an error in the selection to CBS. This causes an underestimation of the number of settlements by judge.
Changes as of January 8, 2020:
None, this table has been stopped.
Changes as of 11 September, 2017:
The figures on decisions of the Public Prosecution Service proved to be incomplete. In consultation with the correspondent the figures on 2008-2016 are improved.
The figures on settlements by judge proved to be incomplete. In consultation with the correspondent the figures on 2001-2016 are improved.
The provisional data on 2016 are added to the table.
Due to funding cuts there will be no new data for this statistic as from 1 January 2018. For more information see the link in paragraph 3.
When will new figures be published?
Due to funding cuts there will be no new data for this statistic as from 1 January 2018. For more information see the link in paragraph 3.
Data available from: 1994
Status of the figures: the figures of the most recent year are provisional, previous years are final data.
The figures of the most recent year are provisional, previous years are final data.
The data on penal orders of the GPS-system proved to be incomplete, which causes an underestimation of the number of penal orders.
Also the data on settlements by judge of the COMPAS-system proved to be incomplete due to an error in the selection to CBS. This causes an underestimation of the number of settlements by judge.
Changes as of January 8, 2020:
None, this table has been stopped.
Changes as of 11 September, 2017:
The figures on decisions of the Public Prosecution Service proved to be incomplete. In consultation with the correspondent the figures on 2008-2016 are improved.
The figures on settlements by judge proved to be incomplete. In consultation with the correspondent the figures on 2001-2016 are improved.
The provisional data on 2016 are added to the table.
Due to funding cuts there will be no new data for this statistic as from 1 January 2018. For more information see the link in paragraph 3.
When will new figures be published?
Due to funding cuts there will be no new data for this statistic as from 1 January 2018. For more information see the link in paragraph 3.
Description topics
- Subdistrict court criminal cases
- Subdistrict court criminal cases are generally trespasses (minor offences).
- Settlement Public Prosecution Service
- Number of final decisions by a Public Prosecutor.
Final decision by a Public Prosecutor: dismissal, joinder ad informandum, joinder for trial, discharge of liability to conviction by payment of a fixed fine, or transferral to courts department of another district.- Decisions Public Prosecution Service
- Total numbers of final decisions by a Public Prosecutor.
- Dismissals
- Number of dismissals.
A criminal case can be dismissed by the Public Prosecutor. Dismissals may be either technical or discretionary.
- Transactions
- The number of cases settled with a transaction.
A transaction is a proposal by the investigating police officer or the Public Prosecutor to settle and thus avoid prosecution.
A transaction is only possible under certain circumstances and the suspect has to meet certain conditions. An example is payment of a fine.
Until 2000, tit for tat settlements were counted in the category ‘other and unknown’. From 2001 on, they are counted in the category ‘Transactions’.
- Joinder of charges
- Number of joinder of charges.
Joinder ad informandum: if the defendant pleads guilty to various crimes, the court procedure may be facilitated by combining the charges. All charges are taken into account when the sentence is pronounced but they are not separately dealt with in court.
Joinder for trial: combining registered court cases by the public prosecutor so that the judge can pronounce judgement on several cases in one verdict.
- Transfer
- Number of transfers of cases to a Public Prosecutor in another district.
- District court criminal cases
- District court criminal cases are mainly serious crimes (penal offences).
- Decisions Public Prosecution Service
- Number of final decisions by a Public Prosecutor.
Final decision by a Public Prosecutor: dismissal, joinder ad informandum, joinder for trial, discharge of liability to conviction by payment of a fixed fine, or transferral to courts department of another district.- Decisions Public Prosecution Service
- Total numbers of final decisions by a Public Prosecutor.
- Summons
- Official document (writ) summoning a person to appear in court to settle a conflict (civil procedure) or to be tried for criminal charges (criminal procedure).
It also includes the cases in which the defendant has filed an appeal against his/her penal order (other penal orders than imposed by the Public Prosecutor) and needs to appear in court for criminal charges.
- Unconditional dismissal
- Number of unconditional dismissal.
A criminal case can be dismissed by the Public Prosecutor. Unconditional dismissals may be either technical of discretionary.
- Conditional dismissal
- Number of conditional dismissal.
A criminal case can be dismissed by the Public Prosecutor. Conditional dismissals are discretionary.
- Transaction
- The number of cases settled with a transaction.
A transaction is a proposal by the investigating police officer or the Public Prosecutor to settle and thus avoid prosecution. A transaction is only possible under certain circumstances and the suspect has to meet certain conditions. An example is payment of a fine.
Until 2000, tit for tat settlements were counted in the category ‘other and unknown’. From 2001 on, they are counted in the category ‘Transactions’.
- Penal order
- Number of penal orders.
A penalty which may be imposed on a suspect by the Public Prosecutor without intervention of the court. Examples are a fine, community service, driving disqualification, withdrawal from circulation, or a payment to the State for the benefit of the victim. This penalty may not be a custodial sentence.
- Joinder of charges
- Number of joinder of charges.
Joinder ad informandum: if the defendant pleads guilty to various crimes, the court procedure may be facilitated by combining the charges. All charges are taken into account when the sentence is pronounced but they are not separately dealt with in court.
Joinder for trial: combining registered court cases by the public prosecutor so that the judge can pronounce judgement on several cases in one verdict.
- Transfer
- Number of transfers of cases to a Public Prosecutor in another district.
- Other and unknown disposals
- Up to and including 2000, decisions as a result of the 'tit for tat' policy were included here. From 2011 onwards they are included in Transactions