The Dutch public and the crime problem

Abstract

In 1990 the Dutch Minister of Justice introduced a policy plan in parliament called 'Law in motion; a policy plan for justice in the years ahead'. On behalf of the plan the RDC conducted a survey among the Dutch population in March 1990. A random sample of 1025 Dutch citizens of eighteen years or older was drawn and questions were asked on a variety of crime related problems. For example, respondents were asked to evaluate the seriousness of the crime problem in general and of offenses of fraud in particular. Do they think the governments efforts to combat crime are sufficient? What do the perceive to be the causes of crime, particularly with respect to juveniles and what do they consider as adequate reactions to it. Furthermore questions were asked about crime prevention initiatives and regarding different forms of sanctioning.