of the various disciplines. Duties, competences and responsibilities of professionals have been
clarified through the introduction of a professional statute.
Forensic psychiatric centres
Prompted by reports by the media that patients (who are convicted of a crime, but aren’t held
accountable because of a mental disorder) in a forensic psychiatric centre FPC had access
to contraband goods like drugs and mobile (smart) phones, the Inspectorate VenJ carried
out an investigation. The FPC must achieve two main objectives which are not always easy
to unite. On the one hand a patient must be prepared to return to society in a responsible
manner for the society. On the other hand there should be provided a safe living and working
environment. At the same time the contraband brought by the patient may pose a risk to the
internal security of the centre. The investigation looked into the measures employed by the
institution to prevent contraband goods being available within its walls. The Inspectorate
VenJ found that the institution could have done more to prevent hospital order patients
from having access to contraband goods. At the same time, the Inspectorate VenJ found that
the institution has implemented important measures to significantly reduce the likelihood
of contraband goods entering the institution. Points for improvement do still exist in this
connection, though. In his response to the report, the State Secretary for Security and Justice
states that measures to improve the situation, including improved access control and staff
receiving training on performing room inspections, have in the meantime been taken. The
investigation into the situation of this one institution led an investigation of all forensic
psychiatric centres about contraband goods. Its report is published in 2015.
Monitoring police custody
The ten Commissions of oversight of police custody (CTA) have monitored police custody
in 2014 by performing 972 visits to the approximately 400 locations the police uses for
the detention of persons (holding rooms, cells, cell complexes, court buildings) in 2014.
758 detained persons were interviewed during these inspections. The professional, motivated
and respectful work method of the police custody officials, in spite of the changes and
accompanying unrest caused by the reorganisation of the national police, was found worthy of
note by the CTAs in the performance of their regular monitoring activities. Housing generally
meets all requirements, all matters concerning the detained person are properly registered,
there is sufficient access to medical care. Experience shows that the CTA recommendations are
generally followed, though at varying speeds.
One item to be addressed is the situation in the police stations’ holding rooms. Barring a few
exceptions, these rooms are not meant to be occupied for more than a few hours, nor are they
used for longer periods of time. The responsibility for the care of the persons detained in these
rooms rests not with policy custody officials, but with the police officials on duty. The care
for persons in police custody is not their primary duty, which at times results in these officials
being unfamiliar with and failing to meet the requirements set for this care. For instance, a few
locations feature camera monitoring in a way or to an extent that might not be provided by the
applicable regulations. This subject is currently being investigated, both within the police and
by the CTAs.
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