NCJ Number
216349
Journal
European Journal of Criminology Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: October 2006 Pages: 463-501
Date Published
October 2006
Length
39 pages
Annotation
This article relates the development of criminology to developments in crime and justice and to cultural and political changes in the Netherlands.
Abstract
Within Dutch criminology over time, every era seems to have its typical themes. Until the late 1960s, Dutch criminology was nearly all about rehabilitation. The 1970s were dominated by studies of the selectivity and stigmatizing effects of the criminal justice system. In the 1980s, petty crime and crime prevention were the main themes, followed by organized crime and crime and ethnicity in the 1990s. And, the first decade of the 21st century has been dominated by public safety and developmental criminology. Over time, juvenile delinquency and drugs are probably the most stable themes in Dutch criminology. When looking at Dutch criminology in relation to debates in English-speaking countries, a strong presence of organized and corporate crime, as well as an obsessive focus on the relationship between crime and ethnicity is seen. The plan of this article is to outline a characteristic type of research for every period of time, with trends in crime, victimization, punishment, and politics over the past 10 years providing a better understanding of the current criminological debate. Throughout the article, the most notable research literature on certain themes is reviewed. The article concludes with where Dutch criminology stands today and what things need to be improved. References