Government must pay tens of thousands of euros to waiting Tbs patients

Clinics that provide court-mandated psychiatric treatment to convicted criminals (Tbs) are short on spots for waiting patients, which means the patients are forced to stay in normal prisons for longer periods of time. As a result, the government will have to pay these patients tens of thousands of euros in "grievance money" over the next few years, the AD reports.

Tbs patients are entitled to grievance money after four months of waiting in a regular prison to begin treatment. Since average wait time before beds are made available was 130 days in 2021, the government already paid out 25,000 euros last year.

However, the amount has increased this year to 32,000 euros in the first six months alone. This is likely to be compounded, since Tbs patients are entitled to an increase in allowance after six months of waiting. Currently, 97 patients are waiting for a spot, according to the AD.

Minister of Legal Protection Franc Weerwind said this problem is not likely to go away anytime soon: only in 2026 will there be sufficient beds for patients in TBS clinics. The shortage is due to judges becoming more liberal in imposing Tbs, Weerwind said.

However, Socialistische Partij MP Michiel van Nispen said the problem is because of poor policy. “It was a conscious decision not to intervene earlier," he said, according to the AD. "Tbs clinics have even been closed. It is a waste of money and especially bad for the people who have to wait for treatment.”