The Netherlands has fewer problematic youth groups and their number has more than halved since 2009, according to justice ministry figures published by the NRC on Tuesday.

Over the past year, there has been an 18% drop in the number of problem groups, continuing the decline which started in 2009 when officials began a specific campaign to tackle the issue, the justice ministry states.

In 2009, officials identified 1,760 youth gangs, but this has now fallen to 623.

The groups are divided into three different categories: annoying (hanging around and making noise); nuisance (vandalism, petty crime) and criminal gangs (serious crime and violence). There were fewer groups in each category last year but the sharpest drop – 27% – was in the number of criminal gangs, the NRC reports.

Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht set up special programmes in 2009 in an effort to reduce the nuisance caused by youngsters.

The campaign focuses on help with school and work but officials also keep a close eye on gang members’ brothers and sisters, who are statistically more likely to become hangers-on. Community police officers also have a major role.

This approach has since been rolled out across other areas.