Hundreds of individuals convicted of serious crimes in the Netherlands, including murder, rape, and child abuse, have received reduced sentences due to unacceptable delays in their legal proceedings. An investigation by RTL News revealed some offenders had their prison terms shortened by up to three years as a result. Dutch law mandates timely verdicts, but these deadlines are frequently missed, allowing judges to compensate with sentence reductions. Analysis of 156,000 verdicts between 2008 and July 2026 showed 669 cases resulted in sentence adjustments for delays spanning the entire legal process. Factors like the COVID-19 pandemic and a cyberattack on the public prosecutor’s office have exacerbated these issues, leading to an increase in sentence reductions. Authorities acknowledge the problem and the need for improvement, but the General Court of Audit has expressed criticism, noting that targets set by successive ministers to address the delays are consistently unmet.