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Dutch prison crisis: A shortage of prisoners

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Dutch prison crisis: A shortage of prisoners

#91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a mix of having a lot of prisons, short sentences and low crime rates. A lot of people are advocating for more police and longer sentences, but I don't see why. If you look at the numbers, the system is working. The Police manpower is on par with the UK: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/... The amount of prisoners / 100.000 inhabitants is on par with Germany: http://ec.europa.eu/eurost…

Also, the Dutch are very lenient on drug (recreational) users and the sale of drugs.

I see that as a good thing.

Re: Dutch prison crisis: A shortage of prisoners

#93
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not parent, but also from a neighbouring country. I think as long as the landlord is not from the private sector, and there are is no language barrier for prisoners and staff, I see no reason why not to share all kinds of resources this way within the EU. Belgium does this for Luxembourg all the time, Germany and France mostly do it symbolically (joined military forces etc.). Would like to see more of this, especiall…

and there are is no language barrier for prisoners and staff In the case of Belgium and The Netherlands, there probably is. A sizable minority of Belgians speak French, not Dutch, and due to poorer economic prospects they might also make up more than half the prison population. But I assume that for people arrested for crimes in the Dutch speaking part, being jailed by someone you can't understand is Your Own Damn Fa…

Just guessing, but if the reputation of Belgian prisons is true, most prisoner would be prefer to sit in a Dutch prison, even if they don't understand anybody around them.

Re: Dutch prison crisis: A shortage of prisoners

#95
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and there are is no language barrier for prisoners and staff In the case of Belgium and The Netherlands, there probably is. A sizable minority of Belgians speak French, not Dutch, and due to poorer economic prospects they might also make up more than half the prison population. But I assume that for people arrested for crimes in the Dutch speaking part, being jailed by someone you can't understand is Your Own Damn Fa…

Just guessing, but if the reputation of Belgian prisons is true, most prisoner would be prefer to sit in a Dutch prison, even if they don't understand anybody around them.

I think they'd prefer an alternative punishment (because that's what they get if there's no room in Belgium). IIRC there was protest against the transfers.

Re: Dutch prison crisis: A shortage of prisoners

#96
post #45

Apparently the Dutch are not as smart as the Americans. It's simple: 1- Legalize Guns so people can shoot each other over anything 2- Privatize Prisons so that greedy CEOs can take over the "business" 3- Create laws that can criminalize you for any stupid thing you do, procedures that make everyone frustrated, and an economy that keeps you bankrupt most of the time

Of course you need to legalize guns, it's to protect yourself from other people with guns! The only solution to the shootings in the US is to equip more people with guns, you know, for "protection".

Or to have a chance against a guy armed with a knife.

Re: Dutch prison crisis: A shortage of prisoners

#98
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's happening; holland takes on Belgian prisoners. Or at least they did, then did not, then did, I'm not sure where it stands right now. But definitely happening :)

Belgium has an abysmal track record when it comes to prisons. It's been repeatedly convicted for treating prisoners like cattle, for putting psychiatric patients in regular prisons without treatment etc. Sending some prisoners to Dutch prisons (including a prison boat, iirc) is one of the best things that's happened to the Belgian penal system in years. Sadly it's only a temporary relief, and it's been cancelled (and…

The programme was stopped because Belgium finished building new prisons.

Re: Dutch prison crisis: A shortage of prisoners

#99
If somebody has a drug problem we treat their addiction, if they are aggressive we provide anger management, if they have got money problems we give them debt counselling. So we try to remove whatever it was that caused the crime.

Here's hoping that they don't privatize prisons, like we have in the US.

Re: Dutch prison crisis: A shortage of prisoners

#100
post #11

It's not a lack of crime that causes it but a lack of solved crimes. Violent crimes for example, if a violent crime gets reported in Germany they solve the crime in 80% of the cases but in Holland just 40%. People organise neighbourhood watch WhatsApp groups to prevent crime instead of relying on the police to fix things. Within ten years these groups will probably grow into armed and organised right-wing groups. And…

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