‘Junkie class’ designed to keep kids off drugs

School children in Amsterdam are accustomed to seeing drug addicts in the streets. Some are
now hearing what it’s like to be one. Amsterdam police have been organizing meetings between drug
addicts and classes of 11 to 12-year olds since 1986.
“The goal is to make children aware of the risks of addiction,” says policewoman Ingrid
Postma, who coordinates the scheme using addicts arrested for petty crime. For Postma, the addict’s
willingness to talk is proof that the open-minded attitude taken by Dutch police is paying off. “Behind
every detainee, we see a human being who ended up in the wrong place,” she said.
The possession of drugs is illegal in the Netherlands but the authorities do not prosecute
people caught with small amounts. Other Dutch towns have copied Amsterdam’s experiment with
school children.

Teachers have shown great interests, submitting application for a total of 4,500 pupils a year to
the scheme in the Amsterdam area alone. The police can currently handle only two-thirds of these.
This time, 14 pupils and their teacher from a city center school have come to Amsterdam police
headquarters. They are waiting in a corridor lined with empty cells for 23-year-old Ahmed, a heroin
addict.
“Feel free to ask anything you like,’” says policeman Olivier Dutilh before bringing in Ahmed.
“But if he does not want to answer a question, you must respect that.”
Facing the group, Ahmed says he was caught four days earlier trying to steal a car radio.
“You would get more money by robbing a bank,” one of the children says. “I am not such a
professional,” he answer. He smiles when another pupil asks if he deals in drugs as well. “If I did that,
I’d be a big boss.”
This afternoon Ahmed, who receives the heroine substitute methadone from the police, hardly
gives the impression of being someone who has lost control of his life.

When the conversation turns to Ahmed’s parents, policeman Dutilh interrupts. He points out
that compared with other addicts Ahmed is lucky to still be on speaking terms with his family. “Parents
of course are crazy about their children. But there does come a point when they will gently kick you
out,” he says. Children tend to be curious about an addict’s relationship with family and friends, says
teacher Jan Merlijn.
This is the fourth time he has brought a class along. He hopes the children will at least keep
the story of Ahmed in the back of their minds. “All you can do is point out the dangers to them,” he
says.
 ‘Junkie class’ designed to keep kids off drugs

1. Carilah dari bacaan ini satu kata saja bahasa Inggris yang artinya orang tahanan.

2. Dalam aplikasi, keseluruhannya ada 4.500 siswa. Tetapi mengapa ia ditangkap polisi?

3. Untuk keempat kalinya pak guru ngapain?

4. Pertanyaan apa yang diajukan kepada Ahmed ketika ia menjawab, “Aku bisa menjadi bos besar”?

5. Pilih satu saja yang benar:

A). Ahmed sudah tidak berkomunikasi lagi dengan orangtuanya.
B). Kota-kota lain di Belanda tidak meniru cara Amsterdam.
C). Ada 14 murid yang ditahan di markas polisi.
D). Dalam setahun polisi hanya sanggup menerima 3.000 murid.
E). Para pecandu obat bius yang ditahan di kantor polisi itu adalah pelaku tindak kejahatan besar.

6. Kalau sekarang hari Sabtu, Ahmed ditangkap hari apa?

7. Methadone untuk apa?

8. Perempuan polisi itu bernama Ingrid Postma. Siapa yang biasa melihat pecandu obat-obatan di jalanan?

9. Usia mereka 11 – 12 tahun. Lantas mengapa ia tidak merampok?

10. Orang yang ketahuan membawa obat-obatan dalam jumlah kecil pasti ditangkap. Tapi ia tidak akan
diapakan?