Ruthless and elusive: The framing of prison-based organised crime in The Netherlands

Concerns about prison-based organised crime have gained increasing prominence and are now embedded in broader strategies to combat organised criminal networks. In the Netherlands, the issue has risen on the political agenda in the wake of high-profile violent incidents outside prison orchestrated by prisoners. This article examines how prison-based organised crime is framed and governed within the Dutch prison system. Drawing on interviews with 46 (deputy) prison directors from all prisons in the Netherlands, the analysis explores the discursive construction of organised crime as a ruthless, elusive, and ever-present threat. These framings give rise to a high-security logic that legitimises far-reaching control measures, often with significant implications for the rights and liberties of prisoners. Building on the concept of violent capital, the article shows how such measures may not only contain but also reproduce forms of crime and power within prison. The findings highlight a fundamental tension between security and rehabilitation, and point to the (collateral) consequences of governing through exceptionalism.