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Preventing youth crime that undermines society

Central government wants to stop young people aged 8 to 27 getting involved in crime or escalating criminal behaviour. To help achieve this, the Prevention Through Responsibility (‘Preventie met Gezag') programme was introduced in 2019. The programme creates opportunities for young people and endeavours to limit criminal behaviour.

Prevention Through Responsibility at high-risk locations

Prevention efforts are focused on places where the risk of crime is the greatest:

  • residential areas;
  • schools;
  • online.

A total of 27 municipalities participate in the programme on permanent basis. Since 2024 an additional 20 municipalities have been receiving temporary support.

These municipalities were selected on the basis of crime figures. Issues such as poverty and debt were also taken into account.
Central government and municipalities work together within the programme. Youth workers, other professionals, and civil society organisations are also involved.

Prevention Through Responsibility creates opportunities and sets limits

To achieve results, the right balance needs to be found between prevention and punishment. The Prevention Through Responsibility programme creates opportunities through mentoring, education and work. It also endeavours to limit criminal behaviour.

The programme uses tried-and-tested solutions including:

  • visible presence of professionals in residential areas and schools plus online help from professionals;
  • extra youth work locations;
  • intensive support in the event of problem behaviour;
  • mentoring following detention, through the youth probation service.
     

Monitoring the impact of Prevention Through Responsibility

The impact of the Prevention Through Responsibility programme is monitored in the interests of learning from experience and keeping track of what is most effective. This is done at national and local level. The results are included in the programme evaluation and used to make adjustments.

Participating municipalities

The following 27 municipalities take part in the programme on a permanent basis:
Almere, Amsterdam, Arnhem, Breda, Delft, Dordrecht, Eindhoven, Enschede, Groningen, Heerlen, Helmond, ’s-Hertogenbosch, Leeuwarden, Lelystad, Maastricht, Nieuwegein, Nijmegen, Roosendaal, Rotterdam, Schiedam, Sittard-Geleen, The Hague, Tilburg, Utrecht, Venlo, Vlaardingen, Zaanstad.

The following 20 municipalities receive temporary support:
Almelo, Bergen op Zoom, Brunssum, Den Helder, Diemen, Gouda, Haarlem, Hoorn, Kerkrade, Leiden, Middelburg, Nissewaard, Oosterhout, Rijswijk, Roermond, Venray, Vlissingen, Zoetermeer, Zutphen, Zwolle.

Linked to the National Liveability and Security Programme

In many municipalities the Prevention Through Responsibility programme is implemented together with the National Liveability and Security Programme (NPLV). NPLV focuses on improving liveability and security. Local and national partners work closely together in municipalities where both programmes are active.
Read more about how the Prevention Through Responsibility programme works as part of NPLV at leefbaarenveilig.nl (in Dutch).