Dutch government acknowledges inadequate psychiatric care for offenders creates Caribbean safety risks

ORANJESTAD — The Dutch government has acknowledged that forensic psychiatric treatment facilities in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom are insufficient, posing risks to public safety and the rehabilitation of offenders with serious psychiatric disorders. The admission came in State Secretary for Justice and Security Claudia van Bruggen’s written answers to Senator Walenkamp, according to Curaçao Chronicle.

Courts in Aruba and Curaçao can impose TBS, a psychiatric treatment measure under judicial supervision, but inadequate facilities hamper its implementation. Sint Maarten’s legislation does not permit TBS, while legislation adopted for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba has yet to enter into force.

Van Bruggen could not provide comprehensive figures on people awaiting specialized treatment in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. The Netherlands is cooperating with the Caribbean countries through a multiyear program to expand treatment capacity and professional expertise. A high-security TBS clinic comparable to those in the Netherlands is probably not feasible given the islands’ small populations, she said, and alternatives are being examined.