Crime and Punishment, Dutch Style

Today I got a close-up look at the Dutch penal system. No pictures today. I spent the day in restricted areas, and phones were not allowed.

First, what we would call a hospital for the criminally insane. This sounded, um, unpleasant. I couldn't have been more wrong. It's a very clean, modern facility. We were guided around by one of the psychologists--a native of South Carolina! Almost everyone in the Netherlands speaks English, but the conversation goes smoother if I'm speaking to a native English speaker, and I had a lot of questions.

Not guilty by reason of insanity is not an option here. Either you did it, or you didn't do it. But if you did it, and your crime was attributable at least in part to mental illness, and if your crime was violent and punishable by at least 4 years in prison, you might wind up at that hospital. If a criminal is sentenced to the hospital, the sentence is, technically, indefinite. There is a review after 2 years to see if he/she (at this hospital, he) is a danger to society, and every 1-2 years thereafter. The average stay had crept up to 9 years several years ago, but under pressure from the government, they had brought it down to around 6 or 7.

Patients are segregated by diagnosis. Initially, they're kept from the other prisoners until they're diagnosed and stabilized. Then they're gradually socialized with other members of their ward.

Patients have a range of activities to choose from. Music, art, and sport therapy are available, as well as psychotherapy. Patient artwork hangs on the halls. Patient-tended gardens and small animals fill one of the yards. There's a wood shop where patients can learn woodworking skills, and a metal shop where they do some impressive work. People can order custom made wooden or metal objects--picnic tables, barbecue grills, wall hangings.

On the whole, they're miles ahead of us when it comes to addressing mental illness humanely. And effectively, quite often.

But what about jail? First, they don't have jails for short-term stays and prisons for long-term stays like we do. They just have jail. Or prison. Since if does both jobs, they use the terms interchangeably. It holds people who are there for 2 days and people who are there for life (which, the administrator told me, means until you die in the Netherlands. This was a "normal" security jail, which meant that everyone was let out of their cells at some hour--8 a.m.?--and expected back in their cells at a set time in the evening. In between they had work detail, recreation time and a range of organized or open activities. Again, lovely gardens and yards. Rec rooms with pool tables, ping-pong tables, TVs, tables and chairs. Oh! And each rec room has a kitchen where the inmates can do their own cooking. Someone was cooking something that smelled fantastic in the one we went through.

Cells are small and somewhat cramped, marked by the efficient use of space the Dutch are (or should be) famous for. Most are singles, although they have a few double cells--but right now, the prison population is down, and so only people who wish to be together (brothers, cousins) are put in the doubles.

We looked in the chapel, but (it being Friday) the Muslims were using it, and we didn't want to disturb them. But one of them saw us and waved us in. The imam spoke no English, but one member of the group was happy to translate. Their prayers were done, and now they were enjoying a cup of coffee and discussing life a little. The chapel is used by all religious groups, and leaders of various religions are available to meet with any inmate upon request. (The chapel had a pipe organ in one corner. You know I'm going to love that.)

The chief administrator of the jail, who served as our guide, knew all of the inmates (about 250) by sight, and most of them by name. They addressed her fondly when we came by. We (she and I) discussed how much could be accomplished by teaching this particular population social skills and job skills, and addressing their mental illness issues.

Again, a very humane system. I'd be interested in seeing their recidivism rates, and how they compare to ours.