Criminal Judges Have Poor Relations with Their Bosses

Rinus Otte, a Judge who will next week inaugurate his professorship in the organization of justice has just published a book: The New Clothes of the Judge. He claims that judges increasingly show unprofessional behavior, in particular when appointments are made. This expresses itself in email campaigns, anonymous letters and gossip. The courts are poorly organized and the relationship between judges and their colleagues who administer courts are getting worse. Otte says that it is virtually impossible to remove poorly functioning judges and that this has to be remedied. He considers the situation one of stagnation and decay.

www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2642749.ece/Raadsheer_verstoorde_werksfeer_strafrechters

Increase in Coma Drinking

More and more children in the Netherlands under the age of 16 are brought to the emergency ward of hospitals due to alcohol poisoning, also called “Coma Drinking.” In 2007, child specialists saw 297 cases of Coma Drinking. In 2009, this had increased to 500 and there is a further increase in the first half of 2010. Researcher Joris van Hoof says that four out of five children of 15 years of age can get alcoholic drinks without any problems. Earlier research has shown that 97% of sports facilities sell alcoholic drinks to young children. In 38% of the hospital cases, the parents were present when the child got drunk.

www.spitsnieuws.nl/archives/binnenland/2010/11/comazuipen_16min_neemt_toe.html

Labor Party Leader Demanded the Firing of Volkskrant Columnist

Volkskrant Columnist Bert Wagendorp has said that in 2007, then Labor Party Leader Wouter Bos called up the paper’s editor-in-chief Pieter Broertjes asking to fire him. He added that Bos said that Wagendorp’s articles made his party lose voters. Broertjes refused the demand.

www.spitsnieuws.nl/archives/binnenland/2010/11/wouter_bos_wilde_ontslag_voor.html

Tensions Among Amsterdam Judges after Dismissal of Court

There is major tension among Amsterdam judges after some of them dismissed last month the court in the process against Freedom Party Leader Geert Wilders. One Amsterdam judge said: “It is very sensitive if one judge says about the other that he is biased.” More and more judges are ashamed of their profession. Some judges are quoted as saying that when they go to parties, they do not mention their profession.

www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2639405.ece/Rechters_verdeeld_na_wraking_Wilders

Police Want Security for Future Mission in Afghanistan

Han Busker Chairman of the Nederlandse Politiebond, the largest Dutch police trade union has said that it is opposed to sending police staff to Afghanistan to train local police. He considers that the situation there is not safe, which is a pre-condition for the police work. In order to send 50 police trainers, 250-300 soldiers have to be sent to protect them. He added: “We prefer to remain home.”

www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/8103912/__Politie_blijft_liever_thuis__.html

Mayor: Police Knew That Computer System was Poor, But Did Nothing

Henry Lenferink, Mayor of Leiden, and Supervisor of the Police in Central Netherlands has said that the police had a report that the new police computer system would perform poorly. He added that the police commissioners and chief must have known about the report which said that the system was of low quality and difficult to maintain.

www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article3296368.ece/_Rapport_computersysteem_politie_bleef_in_la_.html

Gouda: Moroccan Youngsters Terrorize Neighborhood Again

Once again, the Oosterwei neighborhood in Gouda is terrorized by Moroccan youngsters. Inhabitants are attacked, robbed and verbally abused. Stones and eggs are thrown at them. There are also attempts at arson and stones are thrown through windows. This was said by the head of the neighborhood committee in Gouda East, the neighborhood where a bus driver of the Connexion company was beaten up two years ago. He added that the new group of hooligans is between eight and thirteen years old. Complaints at the municipality have no visible follow-up.

www.elsevier.nl/web/Nieuws/Nederland/280472/Jongeren-terroriseren-opnieuw-Goudse-wijk-Oosterwei.htm