Netherlands to close prisons for lack of criminals

[lawyerman]

During the 1990s the Netherlands faced a shortage of prison cells, but a decline in crime has since led to overcapacity in the prison system. The country now has capacity for 14,000 prisoners but only 12,000 detainees.

Deputy justice minister Nebahat Albayrak announced on Tuesday that eight prisons will be closed, resulting in the loss of 1,200 jobs. Natural redundancy and other measures should prevent any forced lay-offs, the minister said.

The overcapacity is a result of the declining crime rate, which the ministry's research department expects to continue for some time.

Belgian prisoners

Some reprieve might come from a deal with Belgium, which is facing overpopulation in its prisons. The two countries are working out an agreement to house Belgian prisoners in Dutch prisons. Some five-hundred Belgian prisoners could be transferred to the Tilburg prison by 2010.

The Netherlands would get 30 million euros in the deal, and it will allow the closing of the prisons in Rotterdam and Veenhuizen to be postponed until 2012.

 

[Cycleguy007]

Ah, the Dutch! Such NICE people!

(Can some one pass the gouda & croquettes please!)

 

[papasmerf]

Ah, the Dutch! Such NICE people!

(Can some one pass the gouda & croquettes please!)

Great you feel the need to cut the cheese

 

[Cycleguy007]

Wooden shoe know it!

 

[papasmerf]

Wooden shoe know it!

Is there really one dike for every dutch boy?

 

[Cycleguy007]

Is there really one dike for every dutch boy?

Nope... ya need at least 2!

 

[papasmerf]

Nope... ya need at least 2!

is there a five finger discount?

 

[oldjones]

But just suggest we in North America try some of the measures the Dutch have proven, and watch the fur fly.

Universal daycare and a mature attitude to drugs and sex—decriminalized/legalized—would be relevant to active threads on this board.

 

[papasmerf]

But just suggest we in North America try some of the measures the Dutch have proven, and watch the fur fly.

Universal daycare and a mature attitude to drugs and sex—decriminalized/legalized—would be relevant to active threads on this board.

I suspect if you eliminated most of the laws we would have fewer criminals.

 

[SkyRider]

a mature attitude to drugs and sex decriminalized/legalized—

The Dutch have a more enlightened definition of "crime". For example, touching the sex bits of a consenting adult female person in private is not a "crime".

 

[oldjones]

I suspect if you eliminated most of the laws we would have fewer criminals.

Right on. And by making ordinary stuff—sex and recreational drugs being just two obvious examples—illegal, you too can have a soaring crime rate. And you do, so do we in CopyCatConservative Canada..

 

[LKD]

Legalize marijuana and prostituting I say!!! and we'll be a safer place too

 

[oldjones]

I'm with you and papa on that, but let's not forget that the Netherlands is quite a different society from our two here, and that also may have a causal effect on the crime drought, as well as smarter laws.

Like the econ stats that demonstrated easy access to abortion in the US co-related w/ a drop in the crime rate, there's likely a connection between stuff like universal daycare, decent housing for all and meaningful unemployment insurance and lower crime rates.

 

[gramage]

America will not decriminalize anything, jailing innocent people for victimless crimes makes private industry too much money.

 

[papasmerf]

America will not decriminalize anything, jailing innocent people for victimless crimes makes private industry too much money.

How does that happen?

 

[gramage]

Older article but I believe still relevant http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/199812/prisons

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=864268000924014458

http://core.ecu.edu/soci/juskaa/SOCI2110/Prison_Industrial_Complex.htm
# private companies tap into $35 billion a year spending on prisons
# Spending on corrections since 1980s increased 5 times; there are more than 1000 vendors that sell corrections paraphernalia;
# The growth projected 5-10% annually;
# Private prisons keep 90,000 prisoners from 27 states
# "Bed brokers," rent a cell facilities ($20 to $60 a day with $2.50-5.50 commission per man-day); trucking prisoners hundreds of miles through the country - threat to public order; escapes;
# Wackenhut Corrections, second largest private-prison company has ravenous $1 billion a year;
# U.S. Corrections Corporation - the largest private-prison company wants to buy and run all state of Taxes’ prisons;
# globalization of the private-prison business: British private-prison company, Securicor, operates two facilities in Florida; Wackenhut Corrections is now under contract to operate prison in England; three prisons in Australia; and a prison in Scotland. It is actively seeking prison contracts in South Africa.
# 1 pay phone in prison generates $15,000 a year; MCI installs phones for free;

 

[Cinema Face]

It's cuz everything's legal in Holland.