SRCN Coordinating Policy Officer for Juvenile Justice

HBO+ | Bonaire | 36 hours | Closing date: 21 January 2025

Job description

The BES Juvenile Justice Act (wet Jeugdstrafrecht BES) was introduced in 2020. An initial evaluation was completed in May 2022 and resulted in the report entitled 'Evaluation of the implementation and functioning of the juvenile justice system’ (Evaluatie implementatie en werking jeugdstrafrecht). This report identified a number of problems and formulated recommendations. One key conclusion is that there is a lack of cross-organisational and chain-wide governance. It has now been decided that a coordinating policy officer needs to be recruited in order to implement the recommendations. The person in question would be already working within the chain and would be able to bring the parties together, ensure that the issue of progress is kept permanently on the agenda and focus on concluding the work to implement the recommendations made in the initial evaluation.

The work would not be limited to the juvenile justice chain, but would also cover the key link between justice and care partners in the field of juvenile justice. Enhancing the effectiveness of the juvenile justice chain is also one of the five ambitions of the 2025-2027 Multiannual Agenda of the Strategic Consultation on the Justice Chain in the Caribbean Netherlands (Strategisch Overleg Justitieketen Caraïbisch Nederland, SOJ)

The successful candidate would, in principle, be employed by the Dutch Caribbean Probation Service for 2 years, although their duties and work would be carried out on behalf of the justice chain as a whole.

The organisation

The Dutch Caribbean Probation Service (Stichting Reclassering Caribisch Nederland, SRCN) is an independent, objective and professional foundation which is committed to keeping society safe by preventing crime and reducing reoffending. Our organisation is part of the justice chain. This means that we collaborate with the police, the judiciary, the Public Prosecution Service and the Netherlands Caribbean Correctional Institution (Justitiële Inrichting Caribisch Nederland, JICN). We also cooperate with a variety of social and care partners including Mental Health Caribbean (MHC), CN Youth Care and the public entities of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. SRCN is subsidised by the Ministry of Justice and Security in the Netherlands.

The task

The organisation's most important goals are to:

• reduce the time it takes to process juvenile cases (up to 21 years of age);
• increase the number of referrals to the 'Halt' juvenile crime bureau;
• increase the number of behavioural training courses, such as the drink-drive rehabilitation course for young people;
• continue judicial consultations on juvenile cases and expand these to Saba and St. Eustatius;
• develop a CN Youth Monitor.

The coordinating policy officer will also focus on:

• organising and participating in chain-wide consultations on relevant themes;
• evaluating and amending existing partnership agreements, for example with regard to the juvenile probation measure;
• drawing up a quality framework with quality standards for the various elements of the juvenile justice system and the associated monitoring;
• setting out rules in covenants on how information should be exchanged between the parties involved;
• ensuring the enhancement of expertise and professionalisation within the organisations involved through training courses, theme meetings, etc;
• drafting concrete proposals for policy improvement and renewal, as well as establishing chain-wide work processes;
• entering into and maintaining contact with relevant chain partners in order to discuss and coordinate policy and implementation issues.

Competencies

• Managerial sensitivity.
• Creativity.
• A focus on clients.
• The ability to network.
• A focus on results.
• Situational awareness.
• Organisational sensitivity.
• Good planning and organisational skills.
• The ability to cooperate.

Your profile

• At least a higher vocational or a university education (HBO+/WO) level of professional and intellectual ability.
• Familiarity with the Caribbean Netherlands.
• Knowledge of the BES juvenile justice system.
• Familiarity with and support within organisations that deal with the juvenile justice system within the Caribbean Netherlands.
• Demonstrable experience and affinity with policy issues and processes.
• An affinity with Caribbean culture.
• A flexible, hands-on mentality.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Dutch. A command of Papiamento and Spanish would be a definite asset.

What are we offering?

• A contract for a year with the option of extending in the event of good performance.
• A salary of a minimum of $ 4,050.00 and a maximum of $ 5,920.00 per month, based on a working week of 36 hours.
• Holiday pay and an end-of-year bonus (8.33% of your salary, with a gross minimum of $ 1,750.00).
• A pension scheme with the Caribbean Netherlands Pension Fund (Pensioenfonds Caribisch Nederland, PCN).
• 168 holiday hours based on a working week of 36 hours.
• A relocation scheme for candidates who are not resident on the island.

Procedures & requirements for this appointment

• The procedure may include an assessment.
• You must have Dutch nationality and be able to submit a Certificate of Good Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, VOG).

Important information for interested parties outside the Caribbean Netherlands

• The salary is in American dollars, which is the official currency in the Caribbean Netherlands.
• The Caribbean Netherlands has its own tax regulations. Income over and above the tax-free amount ($ 20,424.00 in 2024) is subject to wage tax of 30.4%. Participation in the pension fund is mandatory and includes a personal contribution. 
• You are, or will become, a resident of the Caribbean Netherlands.

More information

Dutch Caribbean Probation Service:

Name and position:                        Mr E. Sinke, Director.

Telephone number:                       +599 7173288

Email:                                                 e.sinke@reclassering-cn.com

Digital applications

You can send your Curriculum Vitae and letter of application to administratie@reclassering-cn.com.