Victims’ group seeks €120 pay when court delays cut criminal sentences

Victims of serious crime in the Netherlands should receive financial compensation when convicted offenders get reduced sentences because their cases were delayed, according to the Landelijk Advocaten Netwerk Gewelds- en Zedenslachtoffers (Langzs). The proposal follows findings that sentence reductions have been granted in cases involving around 156,000 major violent and sexual crimes. Those include a convicted attempted murder case in Almelo and a rape case involving a father and his daughter.

Langzs is proposing a fixed payment of 120 euros, matching the daily compensation paid to people who are wrongfully detained. The group argues the same standard should apply to victims when delays in court proceedings result in shorter sentences for offenders. It said this reflects situations in which “the government has been too lax in ensuring a timely handling of criminal cases.”

The organization said victims currently receive no compensation when justice is delayed. It warned that prolonged proceedings can worsen psychological harm and disrupt grief processing.

The proposal comes after reporting by RTL Nieuws, which analyzed 156,000 court rulings from 2008 through July 2026. The analysis found 669 cases in which defendants convicted of serious crimes such as murder and child abuse received sentence reductions because their cases were not processed in time.

In some cases, reductions were substantial. One defendant convicted of attempted murder received a three-year reduction in prison time. In another case, a father convicted of raping his daughter received a two-month reduction.

Langzs said it has repeatedly raised concerns about sentence reductions due to court delays with multiple justice ministers over the years. It described the current state of the criminal justice system as “dramatic.” The organization is urging the government to adequately fund and support all parts of the justice chain to prevent further delays.