What The Dutch Experiment Suggests For The United States

The Netherlands didn’t eliminate crime. No country does. What it did was question whether incarceration should always be the first response. 

The United States won’t match the Netherlands perfectly. Still, the Dutch experience opens space to imagine possibilities. It shows that fewer people behind bars does not automatically lead to chaos, and that treating minor offences without incarceration can work. And it shows that a justice system built around reintegration instead of perpetual punishment can leave society safer, not more vulnerable.

If nothing else, the Dutch story challenges long-held assumptions. It invites Americans to look beyond habit and consider changes that prioritize outcomes over tradition. And it proves that when a country invests in people, even prisons can find better futures.