Jails Empty Due Criminal Shortage in Netherlands, 19 Closed, One Turned Luxury Hotel

While overcrowded prisons are a major issue in several countries, the Netherlands is facing the unique problem of empty jails. Most Dutch jails are now having very few prisoners due to low crime rates.

According to a BBC report, around 19 prisons have closed down in the Netherlands during past years. Another Dutch jail will be shut down in 2025.

One empty prison was turned into a fancy hotel in the south of Amsterdam. Its most expensive suites are titled The Lawyer, The Judge, The Governor, and The Jailer. Some former prison guards have been employed in this special hotel.

As per a report in The Guardian, since 2014, 23 prisons have been shut down in the Netherlands. They have been converted into temporary asylum centres, housing projects, and hotels.

According to the Netherland’s justice ministry, the number of jail sentences imposed fell from 42,000 in 2008 to 31,000 in 2018. There was a two-thirds drop in jail terms for young offenders. Registered crimes fell by 40% in the same period.