ORANJESTAD (AAN): On Monday, Minister of Justice, Integrity, Public Transport, and Energy, Mr. Drs. Arthur Dowers, made a strategic visit to the Forensic Center Teylingereind in the Netherlands, where he engaged in discussions regarding the management and treatment of youth who have encountered legal conflicts.
The Teylingereind model is based on a structural approach, where treatment, education, and skills development are aligned to one direction: preparing youth for dignified reintegration into society.
The center works with a disciplinary-based system, combining formal education with practical training. Youth are given the opportunity to develop themselves, build responsibility, and acquire skills that have real value after detention.
Minister Dowers emphasized the importance of investing in models that focus more on rehabilitation rather than punishment. For real change, the focus must be on human development, trust, and responsibility.
In the conversation, the minister also discussed the developments taking place in Aruba and the need to continue strengthening a system that responds to the local reality, while remaining open to cooperation within the Kingdom.
A key point was the creation of a link to continue sharing knowledge and experience between Aruba and the Netherlands, with the goal of implementing models that contribute to a more effective and sustainable system.
Aruba is moving towards a more strategic model, where youth detention does not signify the end of their future but rather provides an opportunity for positive change.
It is time to build a prison system that offers hope, creates opportunity, and strengthens our community.
