In 2021, the number of young people who were referred to the Halt office because of fireworks violations was half less than a year earlier. Last year this involved 690 young people compared to 1,400 in 2020, although a fireworks ban was in force during both New Years. The total number of young people referred to Halt in 2021 also decreased. This turns out from figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and Bureau Haltwhich combats juvenile crime.
The number of referrals due to fireworks-related offenses is the lowest ever recorded. In 2005, the year the measurement started, 5,080 young people were referred to Halt for fireworks violations. Since then, that number has steadily declined. Most young people – more than 450 – were referred to Halt in 2021 for having or setting off illegal fireworks. Nearly 140 young people owned fireworks or set them off outside the permitted period.
The total number of Halt young people also decreased in 2021. More than 10,000 young people were referred to Halt. This is almost 25 percent less than in 2020, when it was more than 13,000. Most young people ended up with Halt because of a property crime. This mainly concerns theft. The decrease in the number of Halt youths is in line with the decrease in juvenile crime in the Netherlands.
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