Sentencing young adults with juvenile sanctions in The Netherlands: Increasing risk or no differences on the chance of recidivism

Objectives
In the Netherlands, adolescent criminal law makes it is possible to sentence young adult offenders with juvenile sanctions. This study examines the effectiveness of juvenile sanctions for young adults on recidivism.

Methods
A quasi-experimental design with judicial observational data and matched control
groups was used. The effects were tested for a composition of juvenile sanctions and a subsample with unconditional juvenile detention. Cox survival analyses and negative binomial regression analyses were used to examine the effects of juvenile sanctions on recidivism.

Results
Young adults sentenced with a composition of juvenile sanctions have a significantly higher chance of (serious) recidivism for both prevalence and frequency compared to young adults sentenced with adult sanctions. For young adults in juvenile or adult detention, the chance of recidivism and recidivism frequencies are comparable.

Conclusion
This study underlines the importance of adhering to what works principles during the implementation of a significant policy measure.