Netherlands Closing 19 Prisons Due to Lack of Criminals

[n2doc]

In 2009, the Dutch justice ministry announced the planned closing of eight prisons in the Netherlands due to a declining crime rate which was expected to continue.

In 2013, a staggering 19 prisons were scheduled to be closed. This is caused, in part, by a continued decline in crime rates. Additionally, those who are convicted are choosing electronic tagging instead of incarceration. This allows people to go back to work and continue as productive members of society. It also saves about $50,000 per year per person (about $50 million saved per year for every 1000 people).

Johnson County and the Netherlands have something in common. The average incarceration rate in the Netherlands is about 163 people per 100,000. (Source) In Johnson County, we have about the same rate of incarceration – slightly lower. (Source: 2012 Annual Sheriff’s Report – PDF)

Counties and countries with low incarceration rates typically take a different approach to criminal justice and their investment in social services.



Read more: http://www.trueactivist.com/netherlands-closing-19-prisons-due-to-lack-of-criminals/

[mylye2222]

1. Maybe France could sent to them some of our prisoners!

Our prisons are known for being overoccupied by around 150% of their capacities. It could be also an occasion for renovating some of ones which offers actual COMPLETLY UNDECENT conditions of detention.

[Warpy]

5. The US is even worse than that

to the point that corporations are now building prisons and making money handling the overflow from state prisons.

When one of the growth industries in any country is prisons, it's officially a totalitarian country.

[whathehell]

2. That's amazing, and I'm inclined to say they must be doing something right..

Somehow I don't think we'll see that happening here in the States anytime soon.

[dflprincess]

10. Not as long as there is money to be made by incarcerating people

and that includes the law enforcement entities who make a bundle with asset seizures thanks to the "war" on drugs.

[mylye2222]

3. Maybe their preventing crime-policies are relevant enough?

If so , good point for them, and wish them more prison closings!

[billhicks76]

9. Time To legalize ALL Drugs

Amd treat it like the public health issue it is. Right now our justice system is just a racket...a business that relies on a gang whose color is blue and wears badges.

[rumdude]

4. What's their secret?

[n2doc]

6. from the article

In the Netherlands, for example, the focus is on “deterring and mitigating crime” as well as “sanctioning those who violate laws with … rehabilitation efforts.”


rehabilitation…what a concept….

[xfundy]

7. Couldn't happen here.

Prisons are too profitable, and the money comes from taxpayers.

Would love to see it, though, especially for those locked up on minor crimes, like pot possession.

[madmusic]

8. They obviously fail to understand the benefits of the presumption of guilt. nt

[Archae]

11. I'd like to see a more credible source.

This "True Activist" is full of woo and conspiracy theories, like this one:

http://www.trueactivist.com/gab_gallery/this-is-the-real-reason-flight-370-disappeared/

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. You're right to have doubts - '163' is the Netherlands position in the table, not the rate

I thought 163 per 100,000 was high for a European country closing jails, and it is - from the Wikipedia table that page uses as a source, we find the Dutch rate is 82 per 100,000, equal 163rd with Switzerland.

Following multiple links back to the original Sept 2013 article about Johnson Country, Iowa, we find the story came from msn.com, but their page on it has now gone. The AEI picked up that report in June 2013 too, suggesting ending the war on drugs (AEI in a libertarian mood, it seems).

The Internet Archive for that MSN page reads:

It's a happy problem to have: The Netherlands is closing eight prisons (and sadly, cutting 1,200 jobs) because a drop in crime has left the country with a dearth of criminals. It's a reversal from the 1990s, when the prison system was overcrowded, but now the country's all set up for 14,000 prisoners, and only has 12,000 actually incarcerated. The Dutch justice ministry expects the crime rate to keep falling, so the Netherlands is working on an agreement with Belgium to import some 500 Belgian prisoners to the Netherlands' Tilburg prison. This is officially the least-American national problem ever. [Source]

CORRECTION: This story above was published without making it clear that the data was from 2009. Last week, the Dutch government announced revised plans to close 19 prisons, according to NOS, a Dutch TV station. The decision was prompted partly by a declining crime rate and by budget cuts, which will result in more prisoners sharing cells and more criminals avoiding jail in favor of electronic tagging

http://web.archive.org/web/20131021083552/http://now.msn.com/netherlands-closing-prisons-due-to-lack-of-prisoners

The 8 closed in 2009 (announced, anyway) is confirmed here: http://vorige.nrc.nl/international/article2246821.ece/Netherlands_to_close_prisons_for_lack_of_criminals

Difficult to search for an old Dutch story. But it does seem to have been a story reported in one mainstream English-speaking source.