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| Europe |
| Dutch to substitute Mosques for prison |
| 2007-05-07 |
| THE HAGUE, 05/05/07 - Most criminals in the Netherlands should be able to serve their sentence at home in the future. Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin is to introduce house arrest as a new main punishment. Criminals can then also visit friends or a mosque for two hours a day. Judges will have the option of imposing house arrest as the main penalty, with a maximum duration of four months. Because sentences are relatively short in the Netherlands, the majority of criminals will be eligible for this. Hirsch Ballin expects house arrest to offer a solution for cases where a fine or community service is experienced as too light and "a stay in prison is not seen as necessary" or is seen as too severe a sentence, according to Trouw newspaper. Expectations are that judges will impose fewer jail sentences. Those under house arrest will receive welfare payments. Only if they run a company from their living-room or do other work that yields sufficient money will they receive no financial support from the minister. They can also do a home course. "House arrest is experienced as a real punishment," according to a spokesman for Hirsch Ballin. "At the same time, social networks remain in place." The measure is primarily intended to relieve the prisons. The Netherlands has been struggling for years with a shortage of cells, even though the number of people in prison per head of population is about six times lower than in the US. |
| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #13 How about substituting a mosk for a toilet? |
| Posted by: anymouse 2007-05-07 19:01 |
| #12 The prisons suggested by rjschwarz read like the fact sheet for the Federal SuperMax in Colorado. Everything is poured shaped concrete with cutoff valves to prevent flooding; all prisoners have yard privileges by themselves, no interaction with other prisoners; food is delivered to each cell; and the only entertainment allowed is earned by good behavior and is all vetted by the prison - educational and religious channels. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2007-05-07 18:48 |
| #11 Wow! I'll bet the Dutch crime rate will just plummet. Or not ... |
| Posted by: DMFD 2007-05-07 18:46 |
| #10 Prisons would be far easier to manage if the cells were (a) single occupant (b) prisoner leaves cell once a week (c) Prisoners are fed soup (from a breadbowl) or sandwiches or other items that do not require implements to eat (d) cells have no power and get their light from sunroofs and the corridor outside the cell so there is no lights out and no messing with the power system. You would need a shower in every cell which would be hard to retrofit into older prisons but you could fill "the yard" and other open facilities with additional cells and get by with a fraction of the number of guards. There would be no riots, no rapes, no murders, no learning how to commit better crimes. In your last year or two, if you are good, you could go to a regular prison (except it's filled with other short timers) and you could learn a trade and how to be civilized to help prevent your return to the prison system. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2007-05-07 18:14 |
| #9 This is an idiot solution from an idiot official and a dramatic demonstration of what is wrong with Dutch society. This would only create more criminal activity. There are a lot of rotting hulks of old freighters and oil tankers laying around. Put these fools on board and supply minimal rations. Any disobedience results in death from heavily armed guards. Dump the carcasses to the fish. |
| Posted by: Woozle Elmeter2970 2007-05-07 11:21 |
| #8 One has randomly oriented toilets, the other doesn't. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-05-07 09:01 |
| #7 I fail to see how prison differs from the current Dutch welfare system. But I suppose that is the whole point. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-05-07 08:50 |
| #6 That's cause Stalin knew that restless young men need plenty of fresh air and exercise. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2007-05-07 07:48 |
| #5 As for the problem of overcrowded prisons, sane societies build more. Comrade Stalin had another solution to overcrowded prisons. |
| Posted by: JFM 2007-05-07 07:40 |
| #4 We could make this work. During Friday services quickly build a big wall around the mosque. Instant prison, already populated. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-05-07 07:26 |
| #3 Interesting that the justice minister assumes most criminals spend time at the mosque.As for the problem of overcrowded prisons, sane societies build more. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-05-07 07:11 |
| #2 Now let's see. Work for a living? Or commit the minor crime of your choice and your penalty is a paid 4 month vacation at home (TV, Internet, fridge) - all your own home comforts. Plus you can popdown to the pub for 2 hours daily and visit with the mates. Tempting that. |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble 2007-05-07 02:35 |
| #1 Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin is to introduce house arrest as a new main punishment. Criminals can then also visit friends or a mosque for two hours a day. Why doesn't this spineless judicial bastard just go home and slit his itching wrists, thereby saving everyone a whole lot of trouble. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-05-07 01:02 |