The Netherlands Drug Situation 2010 - Trimbos-instituut

Recent research gives some information about the enforcement activities: The exchange of information is a problem in the integrated approach (T.K.29911-40).The legal basis for exchange of information between public agencies and private sectorpartners on a non-operational level is not clear. A new model for informationexchangewas developed, which will be implemented in the future. With regards to synthetic drugs, the approaches still have a strong focus on precursorsand hard ware (glass instruments, heating equipment) and with multidisciplinaryactivities in several projects, like the European Drug Profiling System (KLPD 2010b). Dorn and Van de Bunt (2010) examined concepts of harm arising from organisedcrime (in general, not only drug-related) in the British and Dutch literature. One oftheir conclusions is that organised crime is highly flexible in its criminal activities anddoes not specialise in only one sector, and that police and prosecution should beequally flexible. It may sometimes be best to go for crime groups, or for facilitators,rather than going for specific offences.Coffee shop pilotsIn August 2010, municipalities were invited by the Ministry of the Interior to submit apilot plan for experiments with new policies in order to reduce coffee shop related nuisanceand criminality (T.K.24077-253). The pilots had to fit in with the new policy planswhich aim at establishing a coffee shop system in which coffee shops are locations forsmall scale sale for local users; at containment of the number of coffee shops – based onthe local situation; and at enforcement of organised crime in relation to coffee shops(T.K.24077-239). 10 Pilot plans were chosen. These pilots are subsidized by the nationalgovernment – which has a 6 million euro are available in 2010 and 2011 (www.vng.nl) -and the municipalities themselves. Examples of pilots are: new forms of supervision andenforcement by the municipality, traffic regulation, communication with drug touristsfrom abroad, the introduction of a ‘legitimation system’ for coffee shop customers, inwhich foreigners will be excluded (T.K.24077-256). The pilots will be evaluated in researchcommissioned by the Ministry of the Interior. The research will consist of an exante evaluation of the plans, a process evaluation and a study of effectiveness and efficiency.See Chapter 1 for a more detailed description of local coffee shop policies.Prevention of crime related to coffee shopsThe Public Administration Probity Screening Act (Wet BIBOB) enables local administratorsto screen all kinds of new licence requests. The administrative authorities may refusecontracts, subsidies or permits for organisations and companies if they have seriousdoubts about the integrity of the applicant. For 2009, the BIBOB-office reports that 9% ofthe requests concerns coffee shops. See also Chapter 1.9.2.2 Prevention of offences committed by drug usersFor youngsters who are at risk for crime and drug abuse and who come into contact withthe police and the criminal justice system, there are so-called local “Safety houses”, inwhich relevant agencies (police and prosecution, municipalities, youth care, youth probationservices, addiction care etc.) deliberate about the best way to handle the case ofindividual youngsters. A plan is made to stop the negative trend in the youngsters’ life.The sanction for the offence is often conditional: participation in treatment is offered asan alternative to a sanction. In 2010, there are safety houses in 43 cities all over the131