The Dutch government paid more than €168 million in compensation to crime victims between 2016 and 2024 on behalf of offenders who failed to meet court-ordered payments, the justice ministry’s bailiffs office said on Thursday.

The money was paid to people awarded compensation by the courts, but who had not received payment from the perpetrators — usually because they lacked the funds or were serving prison sentences.

Each year, the government steps in to make around 9,000 such payments. Officials then attempt to recover the money from the convicted individuals.

Of the €168 million paid out up to 2024, only €49 million has been recovered so far.