Groningen and Friesland are the provinces where the back doors are traditionally open and the cars are not locked.
Many residents feel so safe that they take little or no burglary prevention measures. This is evident from the Safety Monitor 2023, drawn up by Statistics Netherlands and the Ministry of Justice and Security.
The survey on safety in the Netherlands takes place once every two years. The figures are based on a large-scale survey among the population aged 15 and older. In 2023, more than 180,000 people will have completed the questionnaire.
Safety
This large number of respondents, according to Statistics Netherlands, makes it possible to make reliable statements about safety in the Netherlands at a detailed level. Just like in 2021, the Dutch give the quality of life in the neighborhood a 7.6.
The report also shows that Drenthe and Frisians are above average satisfied with the quality of life in their neighborhood. For Groningen residents this is on the national average. They experience social nuisance more often than Drenthe and Frisians and are confronted more with vandalism and burglaries.
Nuisance ranking
People experience more nuisance, especially in the city of Groningen, the percentage in the east of the province is slightly lower. The nuisance figure is the lowest in Westerkwartier, it corresponds to that of the province of Drenthe and the vast majority of Friesland. The municipalities of Leeuwarden, Waadhoeke, Terschelling and Vlieland are ranked higher in the nuisance ranking.
Groningers and Frisians are not happy with the police. They think this is not visible enough. In The Hague and Rotterdam, on the other hand, respondents were much more positive about the presence of police officers. Drenthe also showed greater satisfaction with the police.
Bright blue
People in Drenthe and Friesland generally feel safe in their own neighborhood, as the light blue color on the map shows. Exceptions are the Emmen, Leeuwarden and Heerenveen regions, which are colored aqua blue. This also applies to most of the province of Groningen. The outlier is Westerwolde, which includes Ter Apel. The bright blue marked part catches the eye.
Compared to 2021, when the corona measures applied and people spent a lot of time at home, online crime has decreased. Men and women are victims of this equally often. They are exposed to online crimes equally. Only women are more likely to be victims of online stalking, usually by their ex-partner.
Traditional crime, which CBS includes burglaries, assault, bicycle and car thefts, increased compared to 2021. As capital cities, Groningen and Leeuwarden score higher than the surrounding countryside, although East Groningen is a negative exception.