Criticism of Demir’s plans about young criminals: « An expensive operation that doesn’t solve anything »
Flemish Minister for Justice Zuhal Demir (N-VA) has plans for the community institutions for criminal youth.
The Flemish Government wants to remove the community institutions for criminal youth from youth care and transferring to the judiciary. But the criticism of that plan is growing. « An expensive operation that doesn’t solve anything. »
Opposition party Groen asks the Flemish Government to refrain from the plan to cut the Flemish community institutions, and their hundreds of employees, grow up from the agency growing up and transferring to the Flemish Justice. It concerns the institutions in Mol, Ruiselede and Everberg, where the juvenile judges place young people who have committed crimes.
The party submitted a resolution to the Flemish Parliament this week. There is almost there, says Flemish MP Jeremie Vaneeckhout, because there is currently a negotiation between Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) as Minister of Welzijn and Zuhal Demir (N-VA) of justice.
For Vaneeckhout, the transfer is a totally meaningless and expensive reform. – © Belga
Poignant
The special youth care is currently in heavy weather. There is a poignant lack of space, there is massive staff loss, even young people in absolute crisis do not regularly receive help and juvenile judges must let criminal young people go every week because there is no place available in the community institutions. « There are so many other priorities that we do not see why there must now be such an energy -consenting institutional reform, » says Vaneeckhout. « Moreover, we do not understand what problem that transfer will solve. In fact, we see only one reason: making the Justice Agency bigger. »
Demir is determined: youth assistance and youth crime may no longer coincide. – © Belga
Many questions also live with the juvenile judges. Even within the majority there is doubt. Vooruit is not a questioning party, but will implement the transfer because it is in the coalition agreement. And CD&V has been asking critical questions – through Flemish Member of Parliament Toon Vandeurzen. He fears « fragmentation, a repressive approach, a lack of continuity, unnecessary costs … »
However, Demir is determined. « It seems necessary to me that youth assistance and juvenile crime no longer coincide. Once young people commit crimes, they belong to the judiciary at home. Before it is well -being and youth assistance, » she said in the Flemish Parliament. According to her cabinet, the negotiations are in the final phase, but some knots still have to be made. « We not only want to take over, but also reform. » (SDB)
