Homicide in the Netherlands: An Update

Homicide is at an all-time low. Here are some of the basic characteristics of homicide in the Netherlands in the past years (2009-2014). 

Nationwide, most homicides are committed by male offenders. We find that most frequently, in about 5 out of 10 cases, homicides occur between family members, and more specifically between (ex-) partners (3 out of 10 homicides). Almost half of all homicides are committed in a private home. Killings are most frequently committed by means of a firearm (39%) or sharp objects such as knives (36%). Zooming in on geographical location, we see that 4 out of 10 homicides are committed in urban areas such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. Even though media attention seems to suggest otherwise, the number of homicides in urban and rural areas alike are decreasing.

Methods

For this 2009-2014 overview, we used Elsevier magazine’s annual compilations of homicides nationwide, combined with a thorough newspaper search for each homicide incident.