Miranda Boone chosen as new Minister of Justice and Security by De Volkskrant
In the media
What would the Dutch cabinet look like if it consisted of academic experts? De Volkskrant explored this by assembling a hypothetical cabinet. Miranda Boone, Professor of Criminology and Comparative Penology, was appointed as the Minister of Justice and Security.
A cabinet composed not of civil servants or career politicians, but of scientific experts. This so-called ‘technocratic cabinet’ emerged from a thought experiment devised by De Volkskrant. In this scenario, Boone was appointed Minister of Justice and Security. ‘I’d rename my ministry: Justice and Welfare,’ she said. ‘To highlight the fact that crime is often linked to broader social problems.’ She was referring to issues such as debt, mental health challenges and addiction. Once people fall through the cracks, she argued, they often become even more distanced from society.
In her fictional role, Boone also advocates for limiting the use of prison sentences and expanding alternatives such as electronic monitoring. ‘Prison rarely contributes to rehabilitation or preventing people from reoffending,’ she explained. ‘Locking someone up may offer a temporary solution, but if their release leads to a higher risk of further offences, then nobody benefits.’ She also emphasised the need to prioritise tackling serious forms of crime. ‘We still have a lot of work to do when it comes to crimes like money laundering, organised drug trafficking, environmental offences, fraud, and labour exploitation. That’s what I would focus my efforts on.’
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Read the full article in De Volkskrant (€, in Dutch)