Criminal Shortage Leads To Near-Empty Prisons In This European Country
NDTV
The Netherlands faces a unique challenge of underpopulated prisons due to declining crime rates, unlike many countries grappling with overcrowding.
While many countries grapple with overcrowded prisons, the Netherlands faces a unique challenge: too few inmates. Unlike the UK and other nations, the Dutch prison system struggles with empty cells due to low crime rates.
According to a BBC report, in the past few years, 19 prisons have closed down, and more are slated for closure next year. How has this happened, and why do some people think it's a problem? A decade ago, the Netherlands had one of the highest incarceration rates in Europe, but it now claims one of the lowest.
One empty prison was turned into a fancy hotel south of Amsterdam, with its four most expensive suites named The Lawyer, The Judge, The Governor, and The Jailer. But others, converted into asylum reception centres, have provided work for some former prison guards.
