Criminal suspects getting older with 1 in 6 aged over 50

The proportion of suspects in the Netherlands aged 50 years and older increased from one in eight in 2007 to one in six last year, though the actual number of older suspects decreased. This is because the number of suspects under the age of 50 decreased faster, according to figures Statistics Netherlands released on Thursday. Between 2007 and 2014 the number of registered suspects aged 50 or older decreased from 37,300 to 33,400, a decrease of 10 percent. With suspects under the age of 50, the number decreased by 33 percent. Due to this the proportion of older suspects increased from 12 percent in 2007 to 16 percent in 2014. The number of registered suspects between the ages of 70 and 79 years increased from 2,837 in 2007 to 3,058 last year. And suspects between the ages of 80 and 89 increased from 651 in 2007 to 726 last year. Shoplifting is the most common crime among suspects over the age of 50, followed by driving under the influence and assault. Of every 10 thousand people over the age of 50 living in the Netherlands, 48 were suspected of a crime last year. Among people under the age of 50, it was 184 per 10 thousand residents, nearly 4 times higher than the older people. So despite the increase of in the proportion of older suspects, crime still seems to be most prevalent under younger people. Statistics Netherlands attributes the increase in the proportion of older suspects largely to the growing proportion of older people in the Dutch population. According to Statistics Netherlands, the proportion of the population registered as a suspect in a crime peaks around the age of 18 and 19 years. After that it steadily decreases as work, relationships and home play more important roles in life.