Police in the Dutch city of Gouda, the scene of frequent hooliganism, says it is going to adopt a new approach by focussing on the offender rather than the offence.

The police have drawn up a list of some 650 repeat offenders accused of burglary and vandalism, including threatening, insulting and spitting at passers-by. Police will stop reporting each individual case to the justice authorities and instead will accumulate the cases hoping to obtain stiffer punishments for repeat offenders.

The police will also urge the authorities to prosecute children under twelve. According to the police the number of repeat offenders under the age of twelve has grown significantly. Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin opposes lowering the minimum age for prosecution. He says very young children are not yet able to foresee the consequences of their acts and therefore should not be tried.