The Zero Tolerance policy has been discussed a lot lately. This policy (also called zero-tolerance policy) means that even the smallest offense is punished. In the House of Representatives it is an important part of various debates. But what does it actually mean? The introduction of the policy in the Netherlands is critically examined. The policy was introduced in New York in 1994, in view of the increasing number of criminal activities in the city. With the introduction of this policy, nothing will be tolerated on the streets of New York and all minor violations will be fined. According to recent research by Statistics Netherlands, crime in the Netherlands has increased significantly in recent years. Whether to introduce the policy here too is a point of discussion. Supporters of the policy use the argument that crime continues to rise. It has also paid off in New York. Opponents say that the street scene in the Netherlands will then change from pleasant to blue.
New York policy
The introduction of the policy in the American city of New York has been carefully considered. Ultimately, crime was the deciding factor in introducing the policy. There are quite a few pros and cons, such as the suffering of different population groups under the policy. Think of students. Due to strict controls in American schools, the number of suspensions has increased significantly. The policy not only expects the police to put their best foot forward, the schools must also help. They must be extra alert to students who are absent without permission.
The normal life of an average New Yorker has changed drastically. They no longer like to go out on the streets and large shopping centers and parks are avoided. The street scene has changed from a busy, pleasant city to a police stronghold, exactly what we fear in the Netherlands. It is true that crime has fallen sharply in recent years, so the policy is working well. But, if you check the points yourself, there are fewer pros than cons.
Policy in the Netherlands
As mentioned, the Zero Tolerance policy has been high on the political agenda in recent months. Is the policy suitable for Dutch society? That is the big question that MPs have been considering lately.
Of course, the Netherlands is a lot smaller than New York, and the crime rate cannot be compared. So does it have a major effect on us?
A lot more people are arrested under the Zero Tolerance policy. That in itself is not a problem, but one consequence of this is that the criminal trial will be a lot shorter . Less time is reserved for investigating a case, which does not benefit the quality of the ruling. Since the introduction of the policy, more and more innocent people have been imprisoned in America. This was revealed by an investigation team that subsequently investigated the matter further. Of course, this can never be said with one hundred percent certainty, but everyone is pointing in the same direction.
In recent years, the Dutch court has actually been doing better. More and more cases are being solved and there are few cases that remain unsolved. Is the Zero Tolerance policy worth it if our increasingly better court becomes less effective? In America the court was already not that stable, so in that respect the introduction could not do any harm.
Another point that has not been properly considered is the training of police officers. This policy obviously requires a lot more police officers. These agents all need to be trained, and that costs a lot of money.