Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Prison cell bars
Prison cell bars - Credit: Marco Chilese / Unsplash - License: Unsplash
Crime
experiment
prison
jail
prison guard
Department of Judicial Institutions
Rob Minkes
Ministry of Security and Justice
Heerhugowaard
Arnhem
Dordrecht
Zaandam
prison key experiment
Wednesday, 12 July 2017 - 09:13
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Dutch prisoners given more freedom in experiment; prison staff worried

An increasing number of Dutch prisons are taking part in an experiment in which certain prisoners are given more freedom of movement and responsibility. The idea is to prod prisoners into becoming more self-sufficient. But the prison guards are worried that the experiment is only giving the detainees more freedom to conduct their criminal business within the prison walls, they said to newspaper AD.

The experiment entails giving prisoners the keys to their own cells. They are allowed to move around freely in certain parts of the prison until 9:30 p.m. They have to make sure that they get to their day programs and work details on time. And they have a digital screen on which they can order their own groceries and make appointments with other prisoners or prison staff. The experiment was first done in Dordrecht, Heerhugowaard and Zaandam, and has now been extended to include 60 prisoners in Arnhem.

"There is too little supervision on these guys", Rob Minkes, chairman of the Judicial Institutions Department's central works council, said to AD. "These prisoners can do everything themselves, without supervision. The risk is therefore that they continue with their criminal business because they can chat with each other for long periods and without interruption. It is also easier to trade drugs, for example."

According to Minkes, there is too little sight on the effects of this experiment. "This experiment is expanding across the Netherlands like an oil spill, but it still hasn't been properly investigated whether it has a positive effect on the behavior of detainees. We also owe it to the victims of crimes to first make sure that it benefits society."

The experiment is also intended to give prison guards more time to have conversations with detainees. "But I highly doubt that happens", Minkens said to the newspaper. "Guards see this experiment as an ordinary cut on prison staff."

The Ministry of Security and Justice hopes that helping prisoners become more self-sufficient will also help them rejoin society when they leave prison. "The policy is aimed at activating detainees and giving them more responsibility", a Ministry spokesperson said to the newspaper. "It is linked to conditions to ensure safety. Detainees can't just move about freely, and their internet is also limited."

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • KLM pilots planning brief strike on Monday morning
  • Verdict in Ridouan Taghi organized crime trial expected in February 2024
  • Groningen gas production will completely stop on October 1, Dutch Cabinet says
  • Tata Steel emissions cut lifespan of area residents by 2.5 months, says health institute
  • Rotterdam waste center fire could impact trash collection in Utrecht & The Hague
  • EU considering proposal to restrict addictive apps, including social media

Top stories

  • Tata Steel emissions cut lifespan of area residents by 2.5 months, says health institute
  • Sharp increase in sexual harassment, bullying reports at Dutch universities
  • Gamblers sue Toto for not paying out won football bets in full
  • Another slight increase in home prices month-on-month; Declining trend over
  • Passengers stuck at Schiphol Airport border for over an hour after I.T. system fails
  • MP majority backs an extra 1.7% minimum wage increase for next year

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content