A stable housing situation is considered to be an important condition for successful reentry after a period in prison. Despite this presumed importance of the housing situation of (ex-)prisoners,... Show moreA stable housing situation is considered to be an important condition for successful reentry after a period in prison. Despite this presumed importance of the housing situation of (ex-)prisoners, relatively few studies have been done on this topic, especially in the Netherlands. This thesis therefore provides insight into the housing andmobility of prisoners and ex-prisoners and their relation with recidivism. To answer research questions about housing, mobility and recidivism, it uses data from the Dutch Prison Project, a longitudinal, nationwide study on the consequences of imprisonment. One of the main findings was the large amount of variation in housing patterns of (ex-)prisoners. Many (ex-)prisoners are homeless once or several times before or after their stay in prison. Homelessness is much more common among (ex-)prisoners than it is in the general Dutch population. Furthermore, ex-prisoners move more often than people without a history of incarceration. Both homelessness and moving seem to increase the chances of recidivism. This study underlined the importance of policymakers focusing on all aspects of housing, in order to achieve the biggest reduction in recidivism. Show less
Luijks, M.-J.A.; Bevaart, F.; Zijlmans, J.; Duin, L. van; Marhe, R.; Doreleijers, T.A.H.; ... ; Popma, A. 2017
Background: Effective interventions for young adults with severe, multiple problems - such as psychosocial and psychiatric problems, delinquency, unemployment and substance use - are scarce but... Show moreBackground: Effective interventions for young adults with severe, multiple problems - such as psychosocial and psychiatric problems, delinquency, unemployment and substance use - are scarce but urgently needed in order to support an adequate transition to adulthood. A multimodal day treatment program called "New Opportunities" (in Dutch: "De Nieuwe Kans"; DNK) was specifically developed to target multi-problem young adults in The Netherlands. The aim of this study protocol is to describe the design of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in clinical practice to examine the effectiveness of DNK in comparison with care as usual (CAU). Methods/design: Multi-problem young adults in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, will be assigned randomly to DNK (expected N = 150) and CAU (expected N = 150). Primary outcome measures are recidivism and self-sufficiency. Secondary outcome measures include quality of life, attending school/work, psychological functioning, cognitive distortions and substance use. Participant and program characteristics will be examined as potential moderators of effectiveness. Additionally, cost-effectiveness will be measured. During 14 months, data from multiple resources will be collected at four time points. Discussion: This study is one of the first RCTs on the effectiveness of interventions developed for multi-problem young adults. The results will contribute to the currently scant knowledge about what works for various multi-problem young adults in their transition to adulthood. In addition, the study protocol will provide insight into implementing an RCT in a dynamic setting of clinical practice. Trial registration: Dutch Trial Register, identifier: NTR5163. Registered on 17 April 2015; retrospectively registered during the recruitment phase. Show less
This dissertation aimed to study the functioning and effectiveness of the Prevention of Recidivism Program, a prison-based rehabilitation program aimed to reduce the re-offending rates of... Show moreThis dissertation aimed to study the functioning and effectiveness of the Prevention of Recidivism Program, a prison-based rehabilitation program aimed to reduce the re-offending rates of program participants, by conducting a plan-, process and product evaluation. The results indicated that the Prevention of Recidivism program could be considered promising, since it applied methods that were considered effective based on theoretical and empirical knowledge. In practice however, it was shown that program-execution was severely hampered by a number of issues; the program had rather strict inclusion criteria; faced considerable non-participation and non-completion rates; and often allocated offenders to inappropriate treatment. In the end, the program reached a limited group of offenders, most of whom completed a standard program, with no specific treatment aimed to target the factors that initially caused their criminal behavior. Consequently, the program was only shown effective for a small group of offenders that completed a standard treatment program. The most vital program-component, criminogenic need-specific treatment modules, was not shown effective. It was therefore concluded that the Prevention of Recidivism Program had for the most part not been effective in reaching its goals. Show less
In thinking about punishment, and imprisonment in particular, the concept of severity plays a central role. After all, the severity of imprisonment is assumed to deter offenders from... Show moreIn thinking about punishment, and imprisonment in particular, the concept of severity plays a central role. After all, the severity of imprisonment is assumed to deter offenders from committing crime and is used as the vehicle to express a proportionate amount of blame and censure to the offender. Unfortunately, the concept of severity as it has been understood for the past three centuries, mostly pertains to the objective severity of imprisonment. Severity in this view is considered to be merely dependent upon objective properties of punishment, most notably its duration. A prison sentence for instance, is considered to be more aversive simply insofar as it is longer rather than shorter. The severity as experienced by inmates themselves, however, has barely been explored. This thesis assesses the determinants of the subjectively experienced severity of imprisonment, and its consequences for the remembered severity of imprisonment, and post-release offending behavior. The findings reveal that inmates differ markedly in their experienced severity of imprisonment. In addition, inmates’ experienced severity of imprisonment changes substantially over the course of incarceration. While the severity as experienced while being incarcerated is strongly related to the severity as remembered following release, it is not related to post-release offending behavior. Show less
Legal actors typically decide case by case and rely on their own knowledge and experience to make legal decisions. However, an overview of what is happening in the legal system as a whole is... Show moreLegal actors typically decide case by case and rely on their own knowledge and experience to make legal decisions. However, an overview of what is happening in the legal system as a whole is often lacking. While many sentences are imposed by legal actors, much remains unknown about the determinants and consequences of sentencing at the aggregate level. How can legal actors impose deliberate and effective sentences? The Dutch Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure obviously give some guidance, but also leave judges with high levels of discretion. This study zooms in on offender characteristics as determinants of sentencing decisions and addresses questions about the consequences of certain sentences on criminal behavior with a specific focus on the incapacitation effect and recidivism after specific sanctions. By focusing on the determinants of decisions at different points in the sentencing process, and on the effects of sentences, this study creates a better understanding of the different facets of the criminal justice system. This study reveals offender based disparities in contemporary sentencing practices and points out that certain intended future benefits in terms of crime reduction through punishment do not appear to be achieved. Show less
In criminology, measuring recidivism is a well-known method of establishing the preventive effect of penal interventions. There are measurements of this kind dating from as early as the 19th... Show moreIn criminology, measuring recidivism is a well-known method of establishing the preventive effect of penal interventions. There are measurements of this kind dating from as early as the 19th century. Recidivism studies have been conducted in the Netherlands too, but the earliest we know of stem from the 1970s. Due to developments in public sector fund accounting methods, interest in reconviction rates is now again on the increase. The Dutch government is looking for clear indicators to gauge the success of implemented policy measures. In the area of penal law recidivism, or rather the absence thereof, is readily embraced as a valid and efficient outcome indicator. Under what circumstances do recidivism statistics provide proof of the efficacy of policy interventions? And how can this construct best be measured? In the Netherlands there is no tradition of recidivism research. The methods used in past evaluation studies vary widely, the measurements were predominantly small-scale, and most studies were conducted at a time when the penal interventions under investigation were still at a developmental stage. Recidivism research in the Netherlands has lacked a sound methodological basis and there is consequently no comprehensive view on the outcome of penal interventions – until recently, that is, since the WODC has meanwhile developed a ‘Recidivism Monitor’. This is a project in which reconviction rates of virtually all offenders who have come into contact with the Dutch judiciary are routinely computed. The development of this instrument and its applications in evaluation research form the central themes of this dissertation. Show less
