In 2010 there were 75 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants in the Netherlands.
This is down 44% from 134 prisoners in 2005, according to a study by the Research and Documentation Centre of the Ministry of Security. RTL Nieuws reports that Estonia had a greater absolute drop in inmates, from 327 to 259.
A spokesperson of the ministry told the broadcaster that reason for the strong decline in inmates is that the number of serious felonies has decreased a lot.
The thing that struck me in the 664 pages long report is how few prisoners we used to have. In 1980 the Netherlands had 23 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants:
See also:
- Belgium looking to rent jail cells abroad
- Women prisoners are sought after mates
- More people in prison on suspicion than after conviction
(Photo by Moira Durano-Abesmo, some rights reserved)
Last month, unknown burglars stole televisions sets from prison cells in Hoorn — twice. The prisoners of Het Keern were on leave, and the second time around the burglars seem to have disabled the alarm.
Seven artists escaped an abandoned gaol at the Oostereiland prison island in Hoorn last week. The “prisoners” were participating in an experiment that would see them creating art in a secluded setting for a month, but when they got there, they found the setting a little bit too barbaric. The artists had to sleep on air mattresses and carry chairs from other parts of the complex to their cells.