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Prisons for Rent in the Netherlands

Dutch prisons are emptying, and being closed down. Lucy Ash travels to the Netherlands to find out why the country appears to have a shortage of criminals.

There’s a shortage of criminals in the Netherlands. Prisons are becoming empty and are being shut down. Out of 50 penal institutions, 19 have closed already, with a further eight earmarked for closure. Some are being hired out to foreign governments or used to house refugees.

Lucy Ash travels to the Netherlands to discover a falling crime rate is only part of the issue. Lucy visits a Dutch prison that has been rented out to Norway and now houses offenders convicted there. She talks to everyone from prison guards and governors to the police and the head of the Dutch prisons service to find out what’s happening with Dutch prisons.

(Photo: A Dutch prison, Credit: Arlene Gregorius)

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27 minutes

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Mon 14 Nov 2016 07:06 Local time
BBC World Service East Asia

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