Netherlands reports increase in social nuisance

According to the biennial Safety Monitor from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), 46 percent of people aged 15 and older reported experiencing social nuisance in their neighborhoods in 2025, an increase from 42 percent in 2021. The proportion of residents experiencing significant nuisance rose from 12 percent to 14 percent during the same period.

Loitering youth was identified as the most frequent source of nuisance, cited by 26 percent of respondents, up from 22 percent in 2021. Other reported issues include noisy neighbors, drug use, and encounters with intoxicated or confused individuals on the street. While nuisance caused by neighbors saw a slight decrease, reports of disturbances from confused individuals and loitering youth increased.

There is a notable disparity between urban and rural areas. In highly urbanized municipalities, 22.1 percent of residents experience significant social nuisance, compared to 7.3 percent in non-urban areas. In these cities, loitering youth cause significant issues for 11 percent of residents, nearly four times the rate found in non-urban settings. Police data reflects these trends, showing an increase in reports regarding individuals with confused behavior, rising from approximately 130,000 incidents in 2021 to nearly 170,000 in 2025.