Wow, at least a step in the right direction... looks 1000x more humane than American privatized gulag, where shareholder return is the primary concern...
John > On Aug 18, 2016, at 5:48 AM, Zenaan Harkness <z...@freedbms.net> wrote: > > An example worth highlighting, at least compared to the USA and > Australian "justice" systems. > > > ----- Forwarded message from Jim <jim.sovere...@optusnet.com.au> ----- > > The Netherlands to close more prisons: Here’s what Australia could learn > > news.com.au > Debra Killalea > August 3, 2016 > > > > Dutch Prison System: How it works > > > THE days are filled playing sport, reading, and practising new skills. > There is learning, course work and open communication with support > networks is strongly encouraged. > > This may sound like a great place to learn, but this isn’t a university > or school campus. > > It’s a prison and this is how the Dutch teach its offenders to keep out > of trouble. > > It may sound like a soft touch but with talk of closing prisons, the > Dutch believe they have a lesson to teach the world when it comes to > rehabilitation. > > While some countries struggle with overcrowding in prisons and crime, > the Netherlands intends to close its jails. > > In March, the Dutch government revealed it had too many empty cells and > not enough prisoners to fill them. > > It announced it was strongly considering closing five prisons, on top of > the 19 they already shut down last year because the national crime rate > continues to fall. > > Justice Minister Ard van der Steur told parliament that not only were > judges imposing shorter sentences but criminals were spending less time > in jail. > > He also claimed less serious crime was being reported according to The > Telegraaf. > > The Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen (DJI) Custodial Institutions Agency, > which carries out the sentences, reveals more than 13,000 detainees are > held in the country’s prison system. > > This cost the government an estimated 2 billion euro a year. > > In an effort to reduce that cost, DIJ treat those undertaking prison > sentences a little differently and focus on rehabilitation rather than > punishment. > > According to a video produced last year by DJI, the philosophy behind > their work involves reversing criminal behaviour and therefore reducing > the risk of reoffending. > > > It may look like a university dorm, but this is how prisoners live in > the Netherlands. Picture: Youtube/DJI Source:YouTube > > This involves an intense program of education, skill sharing and > undertaking courses which will better serve detainees once they are > released. > > Detainees also have access to an intensive support network once they are > back in the community. > > Juveniles undergo more intensive programs with counselling, education > and parental support all crucial to ensuring as many of the 1600 > youngsters in detention remain trouble free. > > The crime rate in the Netherlands has decreased by an average of 0.9 per > cent in recent years, Sputnik News reported. > > Just like the German system, the focus in the Netherlands is keeping > inmates engaged. Some even have the option of spending weekends at home. > > Dutch prisons are full of social workers, mental health professionals > and lawyers. > > A 2013 VIJ report revealed the emphasis is on “therapeutic culture” for > enabling inmates to return successfully to society. > > In Germany, prison workers receive two years training before being > placed in the system in Germany compared to five weeks in the US state > of Colorado,Next Cityreported. > > In both Germany and the Netherlands less than one in 10 convicted > criminal offenders are sent to prison compared to 70 per cent in the US. > > AUSTRALIAN PERSPECTIVE > > Managing senior lawyer Jimmy Singh told news.com.au he believed we had a > lot to learn from the European approach. > > Mr Singh, from Sydney Criminal Lawyers, said Australia had high > recidivism rates and the focus was on locking up offenders rather than > keeping them out of the system. > > “NSW has some of the highest recidivism rates in Australia,” he said. > > “In NSW 48 per cent of inmates returned to prison within two years.” > > Mr Singh said he believed the Dutch and Swedes had it right when it came > to focusing on rehabilitation as recidivism rates were among the lowest > the world. > > > These cells are not what most of us imagine prison to look like. > Picture: Youtube/DJI Source:YouTube > > “Dr Don Weatherburn from the Australian Bureau of Crime Statistics even > said between 2015-16 there was a 12 per cent increase in the prison > population,” he said. > > “In Europe the emphasis is on diversion and rehabilitation, here it is > on punishment. I think the Europeans have definitely got it right. > > “The statistics speak for themselves.” > > He said he believed our tough bail laws and the scrapping of diversion > programs such as the Court Referral of Eligible Defendants Into > Treatment (CREDIT) was partly to blame. > > He said sending people to jail didn’t always work especially when a > first-time offender was imprisoned with inmates serving time for much > more serious offences and mental health issues were not addressed. > > Writing on the Sydney Criminal lawyers blog, Lawyer and Principal Ugur > Nedim said the Dutch model was so successful even Norway was sending > some of its prisoners there to fill the cells. > > He pointed to falling crime rates in nearby Sweden as further proof the > European model worked in reducing crime and reoffending rates. > > “Sweden’s prison numbers fell by about 1 per cent per year from 2004 to > 2011,” he writes. > > “Then, between 2011 and 2012, they declined by 6 per cent.” > > He also highlighted a decision by the Swedish Supreme Court in 2011 to > give more lenient sentences for drug offences. > > Mr Nedim said this meant inmates spent less time behind bars but also > made it easier for offenders to return to society. > > Source: > http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/the-netherlands-to-close-more-prisons-heres-what-australia-could-learn/news-story/5788f56ffdba69555254d4276c262406