Extra money to divert youth away from life of crime in 15 municipalities

There are neighbourhoods all over the Netherlands in which organised crime is having a poisonous effect on young people. Drug criminals recruit these young people, sometimes even targeting those at primary school. Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius (Justice and Security) is therefore investing €82 million to put a stop to it. She has started by asking 15 municipalities to come up with plans for neighbourhoods where there’s the greatest risk of young people growing up to become career criminals. These municipalities are: Amsterdam, Arnhem, Breda, The Hague, Eindhoven, Groningen, Heerlen, Leeuwarden, Lelystad, Nieuwegein, Rotterdam, Schiedam, Tilburg, Utrecht and Zaanstad.

‘Starting as early as primary school, criminals trick children into dropping off a package somewhere. Secondary-school students are asked to give someone a lift on their scooter. One day, they hear shots, and they are suddenly involved in a liquidation. Young people are thus drawn into a life of crime, and their futures turn to dust. We need to prevent little boys from becoming big criminals. Parents also need to take full responsibility for their role in this.’

said Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius.

Tackling serious crime is about prevention, breaking down criminal networks and revenue models, punishment and protection. Not just by capturing serious criminals and disrupting their illegal revenue models, but also by preventing them from repeatedly using young people to do their dirty work for them. Doing so will require substantial investment and patience. That’s why a lot of money is being earmarked for expanding our approach from every angle and clamping down on organised crime, including drug crime. Under the current Coalition Agreement, the government will be increasing its spending on this every year, reaching a sum of €100 million annually from 2025. This is in addition to the €434 million euros released for this purpose by the previous government on Budget Day at the end of last year.

The House of Representatives will receive further details before the summer on the specifics of the plans to prevent organised and subversive crime, including juvenile crime. Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius aims to take a long-term approach in a greater number of municipalities in order to prevent the emergence of new generations of criminality. These plans will receive support from across the government, including the Minister for Legal Protection, the Minister for Education, Culture and Science, the Minister for Health, Welfare and Sport, the Minister for Social Affairs and Employment, and the Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning, along with the National Programme on Safety and Quality of Life.

15 municipalities get to work

The first 15 municipalities can now already get to work on plans for neighbourhoods where the problems are most serious. Based on these municipal plans, it will become clear how much of the €82 million they need. More municipalities will do the same later this year. As part of the approach, municipal authorities will work in close partnership with others also involved in young people’s lives: the police, the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service, the Judiciary, the Child Care and Protection Board, the Probation Service, the Halt Foundation, Care and Safety Houses, and schoolteachers, youth workers, youth care services, local business owners and employers.

Young people will be encouraged to consider attitudes to work and income and will also be firmly and consistently spoken to when they threaten to drift off towards criminal behaviour. This is why there’s a clear role for local police officers, teachers, youth workers and probation staff.

Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius:

‘It all rests on whether young people are spoken to about their behaviour and whether their parents are involved. The only way to stop the intimidating pressure of drug dealers on our children, pupils and young adults is to take an intensive, person-centred approach.’