Criminologist Henk Ferwerda trains Aruba police on youth crime

ORANJESTAD – Criminologist Dr. Henk Ferwerda provided Aruba Police Force (KPA) officers with an intensive two-day course on youth crime, based on his study “De Schaduwkant van Aruba.” The training was held at the invitation of Police Chief Ramon Arnhem.

Officers were trained to recognize and understand signs of youth crime and to respond more effectively when confronted with the problem.

A key conclusion was that youth crime in Aruba is not solely a police problem, but a broader social issue involving vulnerability, lack of opportunities, social circumstances and criminal activity. A purely repressive approach is considered insufficient, while prevention without clear boundaries is also ineffective.