Crisis admissions in Dutch juvenile justice institutions: finding a solution

In the Netherlands young people with a child protection measure can be admitted to juvenile justice institutions in special cases. Since 2001 there has been a sudden rise in the number of child protection admissions. This article describes a needs analysis of the child protection cases and shows how the identification of need profiles can provide clues for the development of services. An important outcome of the needs analysis is the urgent need for new services for young people with a conduct disorder, with residential as well as non‐residential with (intensive) family interventions as a central element.Due to political and media attention on the subject, the government plans to spread intensive family interventions over the country and finances have become available to develop five new residential settings. The focus on the use of security in handling this group of young people is also discussed.