NCJ Number
180256
Journal
Justitiele interventies: wat werkt? Volume: 99 Issue: 6 Dated: August 25, 1999 Pages: 56-67
Date Published
1999
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article assesses the statutory option given the Dutch police to "stop" child under 12 years old and refer them to a police facility called the "Halt-office," where parents can come to retrieve their children and be informed by police of the reasons for stopping their child.
Abstract
In the Netherlands, the lowest age limit of criminal liability is fixed at 12 years old. In an experimental year that began in May 1999, the Dutch police have the option (under the authority of the prosecution) to refer delinquent children under 12 years old to a facility called the "Halt-office, where they can receive a "Stop-response." This police response to underage delinquency is meant to be a pedagogic aid to parents." This article argues that in fact the "Stop-response) is a form of punishment; however, this is denied by both the prosecution officials and the "Halt-offices." The national guidelines for the "Stop-response" are critically examined in this article and are compared to the results of the author's review of the effectiveness of sanctions conducted a few years ago. The article concludes with recommendations intended to improve the effectiveness of the "Stop-response." 18 references