Transforming justice systems requires more than policy reform: it demands courage, vision, and the willingness to challenge long-established assumptions. Across Europe, organisations and practitioners are demonstrating that meaningful change is not a distant aspiration but an achievable reality. By placing relationships, trust, and human dignity at the centre of justice practices, they are creating environments that support growth instead of punishment and opportunity instead of exclusion.
On the 30th and 31st of March, Richtungswechsel, Restorative Justice NL, and VZW De Huizen, as part of the BRIDGE project, had the opportunity to visit several inspirational practices for detention houses1 in the Netherlands – Exodus Amsterdam, KVJJ Amsterdam and KVJJ Rijnmond – as well as De Tafelberg, a unique communal living complex for young people in need. These visits provided the national delegations with valuable opportunities to learn from these inspirational practices that are actively reshaping approaches to youth justice and care.
Operating through action before legal frameworks catch up
In 2016, the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Safety introduced small-scale detention facilities (KVJJs) into its system, with the Amsterdam facility opening as a pilot project. Following an initial positive evaluation2, four additional KVJJs were established, including KVJJ Rijnmond in 2021.
Although the KVJJs are fully operational and financed by the ministry, they are not yet formally embedded within Dutch criminal law. KVJJs are currently too distinct from the traditional youth facilities (JJIs) and as a result, current legal structures provide limited space for direct inclusion of this model.
Efforts are ongoing to formally integrate these facilities into legislation, which would strengthen their long-term sustainability and secure funding structures. Yet, even without this legal foundation, the KVJJs continue to operate successfully. Alongside them, organisations such as Exodus have managed detention facilities under special measures for many years through civil society initiatives.
Together, these examples demonstrate an important lesson: system change does not always need to wait for legal systems to evolve. Action can begin now, creating meaningful support and opportunities for incarcerated individuals while broader reforms continue to develop.
Practicing relational security through trusting relationships
While Dutch prison authorities continue planning large-scale prison facilities, experiences from detention houses illustrate that security can also be built through relationships. Relational security, based on trust and meaningful connection, has proven to be a powerful approach in supporting young people in detention. 3
The KVJJs and Exodus Amsterdam work strongly from this relational approach, placing daily interaction between staff and residents at the heart of their practice. KVJJ Amsterdam offers a particularly inspirational practice of the use of relational security. When the facility opened, the location was required to have a time-out room where residents could go to calm down after conflicts. Yet staff quickly realised that the room was almost never used. Conflicts rarely escalated, and when tensions emerged staff chose to engage the residents in conversations aimed at understanding their underlying emotions and circumstances. Eventually, the unused time-out room was transformed into a music room.
What could have remained a space designed for separation and control became a space for creative expression; showing how a different way of working can reshape both spaces and relationships within them.
Addressing the “Not In My Backyard” challenge
One of the most notable observations during the visits was how these organisations approached the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) challenge. Communities often express concerns about detention houses being established within residential neighbourhoods, making community engagement an essential component of implementation and transformation.
The organisations addressed this challenge through two key strategies: repurposing buildings with an existing history of social function and building strong, ongoing relationships with surrounding communities.
The Exodus Foundation, for example, provides a range of services including assisted living for (formerly) incarcerated individuals. The facility of Exodus in Amsterdam has undergone several transformations: originally functioning as a kindergarten, and later becoming a guided living and reintegration house in 1984, before being taken over by Exodus approximately 25 years ago.
Staff explained that this previous history of social use has significantly supported their work. The neighbourhood was already familiar with the building’s social purpose which reduced fear and possible resistance. For many residents in the area, the facility has become a normal part of the community.
This experience was shared at KVJJ Rijnmond, which previously operated as a youth care facility. The building’s history with housing vulnerable populations created familiarity among neighbours, contributing to a welcoming environment. Staff described strong relationships with the surrounding community, with very few complaints and, in some cases, active support from local neighbours.
Particularly noteworthy are the two residential apartments directly connected to the facility. The so-called “Good Neighbours” organise activities such as dinners or movie nights for the young residents. These initiatives create opportunities for normal social interactions and help the residents build meaningful connections beyond the boundaries of detention.
Transforming prison buildings into places of opportunity
Transforming justice systems also requires rethinking the physical environments in which they operate. Buildings designed around control and confinement inevitably shape experiences and relationships. Creating more supportive systems therefore requires transforming the spaces themselves.
De Tafelberg offers a compelling example of such a transformation. Today, it functions as a communal living complex housing 290 young people in need. Yet its history reflects a very different reality.
For many years, the building operated as a youth prison. After its closure, it became a closed youth care institution but little changed beyond the name. The architecture remained largely untouched, and many practices continued to reflect a prison culture. Restrictive measures were justified as protection, yet over time it became increasingly evident that this form of closed care often created harmful and traumatic experiences for young residents. Following years of advocacy for reform in youth care, the facility was ultimately closed permanently.
Rather than demolishing the building, Levvel, a youth care organisation, envisioned a different future and developed the concept of De Tafelberg. Importantly, young people themselves were involved in shaping that vision. Levvel consulted young people on what they wanted from the space, and their perspectives became central to their redesign process. For example, they highlighted the importance of autonomy. In response, alongside shared kitchens on each floor, every room was equipped with its own kitchen, allowing residents to decide whether they wanted company or privacy. Practical wishes, such as windows that could be opened and increased green spaces on the property, were also incorporated into the design.
The Tafelberg demonstrates that places once associated with punishment and control can be transformed into environments centred on support, autonomy, and community.
Opportunities for change
Systemic change rarely happens overnight. It requires persistence, collaboration, and the willingness to imagine alternative futures. The initiatives and inspirational practices visited during the BRIDGE visit demonstrate that change is not only possible but already happening. These practices show that dedicated people and innovative ideas can create impactful alternatives to traditional systems. The foundations are already in place. What is needed now is stronger legal recognition, sustainable (financial) support, and continued collaboration to allow these practices not only to survive, but to flourish.
About the BRIDGE Project: BRIDGE is a one-year (oct 2025 – oct 2026) European collaboration led by RESCALED, together with Restorative Justice Nederland and Richtungswechsel Austria, supported by vzw De Huizen. The project explores detention houses for young adults aged 18–25, focusing on education, responsibility, growth and community integration.
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Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.
Footnotes:
- It is important to note that the practices shown here are considered inspirational because they materialize one or more principles of small-scale, differentiated and community-integrated detention houses. This also means that they do not all reflect a ‘perfect’ detention house. They have been compiled as examples to illustrate innovative and effective ideas that may be useful to consider when implementing a new detention house. It is therefore essential to consult the relevant accompanying information and/or the respective authorities if you wish to learn more about a specific facility
↩︎ - The Dutch Scientific Research and Data Center (WODC) is currently conducting another research project into the effectiveness of KVJJs. The results are expected in late 2026. ↩︎
- Although RESCALED focuses specifically on young adults in detention, the KVJJs are specifically aimed at both youngsters and young adults (aged 12 to 23) who have been sentenced under the juvenile justice system. Therefore, the article uses “young people” to capture both age groups accurately. ↩︎
