Tackling Hard-Core Youth

Problem

How can the city put an end to the misery caused by the 1,500 young people who are responsible for a high proportion of crime in Amsterdam?

Description

All partners in the Amsterdam safety and security policy area are collaborating closely to deal with the nuisance caused by 1,500 young criminals in the city. The project aims to reduce the number of crimes committed by so called ‘hard-core young offenders’. Hard-core young offenders are young people who repeatedly commit crimes and cause a large part of the sense of insecurity felt by many in the city. The project also aims to prevent offences by first offenders and petty criminals.

Approach

In the first place there is a focus on repression: to arrest young offenders and to prosecute them. But the approach is not confined to arrest and prosecution. It also includes crime prevention and preventing first offenders and petty criminals from progressing to more serious classes of crime. Young troublemakers receive intensive supervision and help. Some do hands-on work in the form of a placement in Morocco; others are involved in a 'resocialisation' project. There is close collaboration with the Glen Mills School and the Den Engh organisation (for young people with learning difficulties). There is also intensive contact with bodies that can help young people find employment such as the Stichting Maatwerk and bodies representing both small and medium enterprises and industry in general. Mentally disturbed young people receive psychiatric help.

Results

In the first quarter of 2003 557 young people were arrested. Of these, over a hundred belonged to the hard core, the rest being first offenders and/or petty criminals. In June 2003 72% of the top hundred heavy criminals in Amsterdam-Westwere arrested.

Beneficiaries

The inhabitants of Amsterdam, resocialised hard core young offenders

Resources

Under the overall direction of the mayor, the chief prosecutor and the city's police chief, an approach has been developed whereby hard-core young offenders are identified, arrested, prosecuted and 'resocialised'. Most of the parties concerned with youth crime take part in the scheme:
• police
• department of justice
• Raad voor de Kinderbescherming (child protection agency)
• young offender rehabilitation services
• prison service
• youth services

These bodies receive an extra EUR 10m. The goal of this approach is to reduce the hard core group by at least 25 per cent by the end of 2006.

Contact info

City of Amsterdam
Mr. Kees Loef