Law Enforcement reports to receive follow-up

posted by Jennifer van Leussen

January 6th 2017

 124

THE HAGUE–Two reports of the Law Enforcement Council about the treatment of persons with a psychiatric disorder or addiction in the justice sector and the prevention of youth crime in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will receive the necessary follow-up from Dutch Minister of Security and Justice Ard van der Steur.

In a letter sent to the Dutch Parliament on Friday, and released on Monday, the Minister responded to the recommendations and findings in the two reports of the Law Enforcement Council (“Raad voor de Rechtshandhaving”). The reports offered positive indications to continue the efforts of authorities in the area of youth crime and forensic care.
As a result of one of the Council’s recommendations regarding the forensic care of persons with a behavioural disturbance or an addiction, Van der Steur will be assessing the legal gaps and requirements. This assessment should be completed within the first half of 2017. The objective is to further improve forensic care for these persons within the criminal law sector of the Caribbean Netherlands.
In the report, the Council recommended to update the legislation and legal framework in such a manner that it offered maximum flexibility to impose and execute sanctions for this group of persons with psychiatric disorders and addictions.
The Council also pointed out the shortage of a secured institution for compulsory treatment, and recommended to realise such a secured facility, possibly within the construction of the new prison being built in Bonaire. Sufficient qualified personnel would have to be available.
In the meantime a form of cooperation should be established between the countries within the Dutch Kingdom whereby each country develops a specialist facility for care and detention which could be used by all partners.
Van der Steur stated in response that authorities in the Caribbean Netherlands were looking at realising a secured facility with six beds within the new prison. This assessment will be completed early 2017. The Council was positive about the recent developments such as the availability of forensic ambulant care in the Caribbean Netherlands.
Where it pertained to the prevention of youth crime, the Law Enforcement Council concluded that the right institutions and necessary consultation structures were in place in the Caribbean Netherlands to determine, prevent and tackle youth crime. However, a joint policy was lacking, and cooperation between the different organisations could be more efficient and effective.
Van der Steur stated that he concurred with the Council that the public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba had an important role to play in the prevention of youth crime. The Minister stated that he assumed the Executive Councils would carry out the recommendations to prevent youth crime.
The Minister stated that he was working on realising legislation in the area of youth crime for youngsters between the ages of 12 and 18. Together with the justice partners in the Caribbean Netherlands, the implementation of a title in the Penal Code with criteria for the youth is being looked at. Decision-taking will take place next year.
Van der Steur agreed with the Council that it was important to properly register high-risk youngsters in order to have a good overview of their numbers. The Caribbean Netherlands Police Force KPCN registers criminal acts of high-risk youngsters and disturbances of the public order by this group.
The community police officer has a preventive task by providing information at schools and to residents, while specific cases are reported to the school. The Minister has asked the so-called Security House, in which the entire justice, education and care sectors are represented, to draft a proposal.

124 comments on “Law Enforcement reports to receive follow-up”

  19. It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate to this excellent blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will share this blog with my Facebook group. Chat soon!

  56. I?m not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for great information I was looking for this information for my mission.

  62. Your comment was an excellent blend of detailed analysis and clear explanation, making it a real pleasure to read.

  78. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It actually used to be a leisure account it. Glance advanced to more brought agreeable from you! By the way, how could we communicate?

  83. I’m impressed by the level of detail in your comment; it helped me understand aspects of the topic I’d never considered before.

  95. Discover the power of MinSwap, the leading decentralized exchange platform offering seamless trading and low fees. Maximize your assets and join the next generation of decentralized finance

  96. Discover CowSwap, the trusted decentralized exchange platform for seamless crypto trades in 2025. With low fees, high security, and fast transactions, CowSwap is a go-to solution for DeFi users worldwide

  97. Discover the future of decentralized finance with Woofi Finance, a cutting-edge platform for seamless crypto staking and yield farming. Maximize your returns with low fees and high rewards. Join the revolution in DeFi today!

  98. Discover CowSwap, the trusted decentralized exchange platform for seamless crypto trades in 2025. With low fees, high security, and fast transactions, CowSwap is a go-to solution for DeFi users worldwide

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RAAD VOOR DE RECHTSHANDHAVING