Samenvatting

The rise in criminal violence in the Netherlands tends to be explained by the increase of reported threats of violence, in particular in the domestic and neighborhood context. In order to better understand this increase, we analyzed a sample of police reports, interviewed victims and talked to professionals within the police force, the prosecution office and professional help agencies. We found that, in many cases, victims who reported threats with violence to the police were disappointed by the results. Reasons for their disappointment can be accounted by the nature of the offence and by the requirements of criminal law. Criminal justice does not, and, indeed, cannot, offer victims a satisfactory solution to their problems. To prevent their disappointment victims should, therefore, be made aware of the limits of criminal justice when they file their complaints with the police.