A Facebook group of 122,000 Danes has emerged, dedicated to hunting down fraudsters, highlighting a growing crisis in Denmark’s legal system. Members share pictures of alleged scammers who have defrauded them on online marketplaces, prompting others to contact the perpetrators’ employers, family, and friends to pressure them into returning the money.

Mona Juul, leader of the Conservative People’s Party, has raised concerns that these vigilante actions are a symptom of a deeper problem: an overburdened and under-resourced legal system. Juul warns that these “cracks” in the legal system could challenge the very foundation of Danish society if left unaddressed.

The increased case processing times within the Danish courts are contributing to the problem. The average processing time for lay judge cases in district courts has increased from 8.6 months in 2023 to 10.7 months in 2024. Additionally, the average processing time for criminal cases, excluding simplified fine cases, has increased by 15.2 percent from 2021 to 2023, and has doubled since 2016.

Juul attributes the pressure on the legal system to politicians’ narrow focus on individual parts of the system when making political agreements. She argues that there is a lack of impact assessments that consider the entire criminal justice chain when implementing new policies, such as tougher sentences. This siloed approach, where police, prison service, and court agreements are negotiated separately, has led to a failure to see the big picture.

To address this, the Conservatives propose creating a “super agreement” that brings together stakeholders to consider the legal system as a whole. This would involve comprehensive impact assessments to thoroughly consider the consequences of any policy change on the entire case chain. Juul emphasizes that a well-functioning legal system is the foundation of democracy and must be protected.

While acknowledging the numerous crises currently demanding attention, Juul insists that the condition of the legal system cannot be overlooked. She admits that her own party bears some responsibility for the current state of affairs, but stresses the need for a new, more holistic approach to legal policy. Juul suggests that a shift in priorities and increased resources for the legal system may be necessary to ensure access to justice and prevent citizens from seeking recourse through vigilante groups.