The Netherlands has long been known for having one of the lowest crime rates in the world. It's so low that, while the U.S. struggles with prison overcrowding, the Dutch have shut down dozens of prisons in recent years because there were no criminals to fill the cells. Now, the Rotterdam-based newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reports that four more Dutch prisons are set to close in Zoetermeer, Zeist, Almere and Zwaag.
In 2017, Dutch officials recorded about 49 crimes for every 1,000 citizens. That's down from 93 per 1,000 in 2001, and it's the country's lowest level since 1980. In general, all types of crime have been falling over the past decade. Incarceration practices could partly explain the low number: While the U.S. leads the world in incarceration rates at a figure of 716 per 100,000 citizens, the Netherlands only puts 69 per 100,000 people in prison. The Dutch also have a lower recidivism rate.
Studies on Dutch prisons have shown that shortening sentences and offering programs to convicts, both while incarcerated and after released, have shown positive impacts on recidivism rates and reintegration. Other factors might also explain the country's low crime: culture, a booming economy and a low unemployment rate, and strict gun laws.
