About the program
This reintegration project is for offenders on probation or parole. They were, or were suspected to be, involved in jihadist extremism or terrorism.
The project aimed to reduce the chance of recidivism among these offenders through specialised re-socialisation and aftercare.
It also aimed to expand the Dutch government’s ability to track offenders after their release from prison through mandatory oversight.
A small group of staff, trained as specialists in the reintegration of clients with a jihadist extremist background, helped offenders with:
- finding work
- schooling
- income
- housing
- debt relief
- psychological problems
- reconciliation with family members.
External consultants also conducted cognitive interventions. These aimed to make offenders critically examine their world view.
Key takeaways
An evaluation of the project found:
- The assumption of the project that disengagement may be enough for successful reintegration was realistic.
- The evaluators felt that the prison staff working on the project focused too much on the practical aspects of reintegration and too little on bringing about cognitive change.
- There was a lack of integration between various aspects of the project.
Relevant reports
Reintegrating jihadist extremists: evaluating a Dutch initiative, 2013–2014, Schuurman, B. and Bakker, E., Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression, 2016, Vol 8, No 1, 66-85.