On Tuesday September 6 the Justitieel Complex Zaanstad (JCZ) has been officially opened by king Willem-Alexander. De Sluis was also present at this official moment!
At the picture you see the king Willem-Alexander walking through one of the parts of the prison complex that is still empty. Above and below you see the corridors with cells (withouth bars). The area in the middle is for entertainment. The departments for labour and sports are easily accesible from the cell departments. Eventually the plan is that prisoners can move through the prison complex on their own, with their own key card (though closely watched).
In the middle of the complex, between the four cell deparments, lies the area for church celebrations, group sessions and trainings. This is the place where the volunteers of De Sluis will be most active. The parend-child activities will most likely be held in on area that is closed to the entrance so that the children will not have to go so deep into the prison complex.
Soon the first inmates of the “Huis van Bewaring” (jail) will be brought to the Justitiaal Complex Zaanstad. Until then, the only department in use is the Psychiatrisch Penitentiair Centrum for inmates (clients) with psychiatric indications. The volunteers of De Sluis are already active for these inmates through their assistance at church celebrations.
DSG de Sluis has officially been labelled an ANBI, a foundation that is serving the common good, from its foundation date December 23, 2015. This means that all gifts to De Sluis from that date on can be deducted from your income taxes!
On June 14, 2016, the covenant was closed between De Sluis and the department “Geestelijke Verzorging of the Ministry of Justice.
De Sluis and Exodus Nederland have closed a covenant at April 29, 2016, in which both organizations have agreed to cooperate when it comes to emplying volunteers in in prisons.
