The right to access activities and spend time outdoors is guaranteed by Article 49, paragraph 1 of the PBW. Activity-time must not be less than six hours per week.

At the semi-open Dordrecht prison, the prisoners had the keys to their cells and could move about freely. Prisoners upgraded to the “plus” programme due to good behaviour could enjoy five additional hours of activities outside of their cells per week, one additional hour of family visits, and more opportunities in terms of education, work and reintegration activities.¹

In May 2022, the CPT noted that at Rotterdam Detention Centre, there was a staff shortage and the programme of activities for prisoners was insufficient.
At Aruba Correctional Institution (Korrectie Instituut Aruba – KIA), the activities were insufficient and most of the prisoners did nothing all day.
At Centre for Detention and Correction Curaçao (SDKK), prisoners in the extra security unit (EBA) did not have access to activities. Prisoners in the ordinary regime, most of whom were young adults, had access to very few organised activities and spent most of their time with other people, playing dominoes or watching television.
On 14 July 2022, the Curaçao detention centre informed the CPT that the Ministry of Justice planned to allocate additional funding to the facility, which would enable it to set up new activity programmes with external organisations.²

Library access is covered by Article 48, paragraph 1 of the PBW.
The library at Lelystad prison is no longer available.

The hourly wage is €0.76 per hour.
Retired prisoners are not required to work. They receive an allowance equal to 80% of the basic hourly wage (€0.76).

There is no legislation to regulate vocational training. Its provision is usually dependent on the decisions of the governor.

In May 2022, the CPT noted that at Aruba Correctional Institution (Korrectie Instituut Aruba – KIA), the only vocational training available was a welding course, organised with the support of an external foundation. At Centre for Detention and Correction Curaçao (SDKK), vocational training courses stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic and had not resumed.¹

The service seeks the presence of Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist chaplains as well as a humanist counsellor (Article 4, paragraph 1, of the PBW).

A Prisoners’ Committee (Gedeco) is present in each prison. Its members are elected by the inmates. The Committee reports the complaints of the prison population to the prison service. It proposes improvements that it considers appropriate. It meets weekly with the prisoners and regularly with the prison director.