6/24/13| www.now.msn.com

It's a happy problem to have: The Netherlands is closing eight prisons (and sadly, cutting 1,200 jobs) because a drop in crime has left the country with a dearth of criminals. It's a reversal from the 1990s, when the prison system was overcrowded, but now the country's all set up for 14,000 prisoners, and only has 12,000 actually incarcerated. The Dutch justice ministry expects the crime rate to keep falling, so the Netherlands is working on an agreement with Belgium to import some 500 Belgian prisoners to the Netherlands' Tilburg prison. This is officially the least-American national problem ever. [Source]

CORRECTION: This story above was published without making it clear that the data was from 2009. Last week, the Dutch government announced revised plans to close 19 prisons, according to NOS, a Dutch TV station. The decision was prompted partly by a declining crime rate and by budget cuts, which will result in more prisoners sharing cells and more criminals avoiding jail in favor of electronic tagging.

RELATED:

Some 3,700 jobs at risk as justice ministry overhauls prison system (dutchnews.nl)