Take tough action against drug nuisance and offer young people and parents a helping hand. The municipality of Roosendaal will allocate approximately 3.4 million over the next three years to combat youth crime. On Thursday, Mayor Han van Midden and his ‘fighting partners’ signed a document with plans. “We are going to give all our energy to turn the tide in Roosendaal,” says Van Midden.
Last year, ten in a thousand young people in the municipality of Roosendaal were suspected of a crime. This is evident from the new Youth Crime Monitor from Statistics Netherlands. Van Midden: “If you look at the figures of the past twenty years, Roosendaal has not developed in the desired way.” He cites the fireworks riots as one of the examples of why the city has received negative press in recent years.
“We want more job opportunities for young people.”
The municipality wants to invest the money primarily in education. “That is a safe place where people who have little confidence in the government can still be reached. More capacity is needed to answer those questions,” explains Mayor Han van Midden.
A lot of money also goes to prevention. Van Midden: “We want to follow young people and ensure that they have more opportunities on the labor market.” The number of youth boas will be expanded, there will be more guidance for youth and information about the consequences of crime. We also offer tailor-made guidance for young people who want to leave the criminal circuit.
“Deteriorated homes are being tackled.”
Van Midden does not only want to be known as someone who takes tough action: “A tough approach is needed to put the genie back in the bottle, but you also have to invest in what young people find important. You have to offer them prospects for the future.”
Especially in the post-war neighborhoods in Roosendaal, quality of life and safety are under pressure. High unemployment, poverty, health problems, housing problems and educational disadvantages. In a twenty-year plan, the municipality wants to make the neighborhoods more liveable. “We tackle dilapidated homes to improve the appearance of the neighborhoods,” says the mayor.
“Roosendaal must become a nice municipality again.”
In July 2022, Roosendaal was added to the National Liveability and Safety Program (NPLV) of the Ministry of the Interior. The city is therefore one of twenty urban focus areas in the Netherlands where safety and quality of life are under pressure. Van Midden considers it ‘a dubious honor’ to be able to participate in the program. “But the feeling of security must return.”
Preventing young people from ending up in crime is the first concrete step. To achieve this, several organizations have joined forces. The police, the Public Prosecution Service, general practitioners, the Municipal Health Service and the youth probation service put their shoulders to the wheel. Parents, young people and entrepreneurs are also involved in the project.
The plan, which was signed together with various partners on Thursday, will be further developed in the coming months. Van Midden: “We really want Roosendaal to become a pleasant municipality for its residents again.”
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