Imprison violent crime convicts far from home: Trade union after prison guard's killing

The fatal shooting of a prison guard in Amsterdam-Noord demonstrates that violent crime convicts should serve their sentences far from their home areas. If this doesn't happen, they're more likely to end up in the same social circles as prison staff after their release. That creates a safety risk for employees, an FNV spokesperson said in response to Wednesday’s news that the suspect knew the victim from his time in prison.

According to the Custodial Institutions Agency (DJI), inmates are “placed in a prison within the district where they reside,” unless they are flagged as an escape risk or a risk to society. This arrangement allows for more frequent visits and facilitates reintegration after release.

FNV wants a stricter assessment of whether a convicted person poses a risk and should be placed in a prison farther from home, the spokesperson said. “Staff safety should take precedence over an inmate’s reintegration.”

According to reports by Het Parool, the suspect in Friday’s shooting, Amin D., has several violent crimes on his criminal record. A DJI spokesperson could not comment on individual cases.

“You cannot foresee everything,” the FNV spokesperson said. And due to DJI staff shortages, it is not always possible to place a prisoner in the ideal location. But she believes that violent incidents like the shooting can make it harder for DJI to retain and recruit staff. "As far as we are concerned, the work is not sufficiently valued," the spokesperson says.

Following a series of violent incidents targeting the private lives of prison staff last year, the trade union called on policymakers and the DJI to improve their safety. In August 2025, explosives were planted, and arson attacks were carried out at staff members' homes, and one employee was beaten with a baseball bat. In response, Jannine van den Berg, a member of the DJI’s executive leadership, stated that the agency takes the incidents "extremely seriously" and is "continuously investing in resilience and prevention."