Teen train stations vandals can now be sentenced to clean station halls

Adolescents between the ages of 12- and 18-years-old who commit certain criminal offenses at a train station will in many cases be given a mandatory community service sentence at the place where the crime was committed.

“We hope that adolescents will think twice before they destroy something, if they are more aware of the impact their actions have for NS-workers and travelers”, the NS says in a press release. If an adolescent is convicted of an offense such as not buying a ticket or vandalism, a judge can order them to perform tasks such as cleaning the station hall at sentencing.

This is part of a deal made between Child Protective Services (RvdK) and the NS. The rail operator is the first big organization to participate in a collaboration with the child protective agency

Herke Elbers, head of the RvdK, says the program could be expanded further to include other firms. “We want to find out if other organizations are also open to this idea."