18 April 2008

Stricter measures for repeated offenders
In AD, Flevoland police corps commander Bert Wijbenga argues for stricter measures against The Netherlands' estimated 6,000 repeat offenders.

At present, repeat offenders have to be convicted of crimes such as burglary, mugging and shoplifting at least ten times before they can be sent to an Institution for Systematic Perpetrators.

Wijbenga, who spoke on behalf of the Council of Chief Superintendents, said that repeat offenders should be sent to these special prisons much sooner.

AD writes that even when they are sent to an ISP, reintegration often starts too soon.

Wijbenga says that: "We always thought that someone committed to an ISP would be off the streets for two years, but reintegration often starts after only six months. Police then see many of these people lapse into their old mistakes. ... There are so many victims of repeat offenders. They are responsible for a very large percentage of all crime."    

Even though the number of burglaries and muggings has dropped over the past few years, police are not satisfied yet. Wijbenga said more should be done "to contain this plague".

Media mogul cuts all ties with his real estate company
De Volkskrant reports that media mogul Joop van den Ende's unexpected decision to cut all ties with his entertainment real estate company Living City.

The paper writes that his business partners are "bewildered over rift", and have announced they will take legal steps. Van den Ende, who announced his decision in yesterday's de Volkskrant, says his decision was prompted by a judicial investigation of his two business partners who are accused of fraud.  

Van den Ende has said he wants nothing more to do with the real estate world.

Living City was to have built a major musical theatre on Amsterdam's South Axis, a prestigious business district under development along the southern section of the city's ring road.

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