Criminal RecidivismNCT06353204
Effectiveness of the Justice Diversion Halt-intervention
A study testing Halt-intervention in people with Criminal Recidivism and Delinquency, run by Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Datacentrum at 1 site in Netherlands.
Trial summary
In the current study the effectiveness of the Dutch diversion measure Halt is investigated using a randomized controlled trial. Because of the thorough scientific substantiation of the intervention theory, it is hypothesized that receiving the Halt-intervention will lead to less recidivism in comparison to receiving… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 18 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Criminal Recidivism, Delinquency, Antisocial Behavior
- What is being tested?
- Halt-intervention
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 1,300 participants
- Where
- 1 siteNetherlands
- Study dates
- 1 Feb 2024to Jul 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 12 to 18 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Juveniles who have been referred to Halt after committing a minor offence that is eligible for the Halt-intervention.
- Juveniles between the ages of 12 and 18.
Who cannot join
- Participants who do not speak Dutch or who do not speak Dutch fluently.
- Participants who have already participated in the study before.
- Participants who are participating in the following Halt-programs: 'Hack_right', 'Respect Online' or 'Sport en Spel'.
- Participants of whom it is suspected that their are serious concerns for their safety.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Diversion Measure Halt-intervention: a Randomized Controlled Trial
In the current study the effectiveness of the Dutch diversion measure Halt is investigated using a randomized controlled trial. Because of the thorough scientific substantiation of the intervention theory, it is hypothesized that receiving the Halt-intervention will lead to less recidivism in comparison to receiving no intervention.
Read the detailed description
The Halt-intervention is a widely used Dutch diversion measure for youth (aged 12-17) who committed a minor offence. In the current study, it will be investigated whether the Halt-intervention is successful in reducing recidivism and in achieving the intervention goals. The effectiveness will be assessed using a randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to the experimental condition in which participants will receive the halt intervention or to the control condition in which participants will not receive an intervention. Participants fill out three self-reported questionnaires over a time period of one year. With these questionnaires is it investigated whether the intervention is successful in achieving the different intervention goals (improving social skills, taking responsibility, correct wrongdoing or damage, improving conventional beliefs and improving support from the social network) and in achieving a reduction in recidivism. Furthermore, the adherence to children's rights in the practice of Halt is investigated. Lastly, two years after the first contact with Halt recidivism is assessed using official police and judicial records.
- Conditions
- Criminal Recidivism, Delinquency, Antisocial Behavior
- Being tested
- Halt-intervention
- Medical subject headings
- Recidivism, Antisocial Personality Disorder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Halt-interventionBehavioural
The Halt-intervention is a Dutch extrajudicial, or diversion, measure for minors (aged 12-17) who committed a minor offence. The intervention can consist of conversations with the Halt-employee, working or learning assignments to learn from the mistakes made or to work on certain skills, such as social skills, and/or apologizing to the victim.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group: Halt-intervention | Experimental | The experimental group will receive the Halt-intervention. Receives: Behavioral: Halt-intervention |
| Control group: No Halt-intervention | No intervention | The control group will not receive the Halt-intervention, nor will they receive any other intervention or form of punishment. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Criminal Recidivism based on self-report
Assessed using the items from the Youth Delinquency Survey.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Criminal Recidivism based on official police records
Assessed using official Dutch Police registration records.
Measured: T3 (24 month follow up)
Criminal Recidivism based on official judiciary records
Assessed using official Dutch judicial records.
Measured: T3 (24 month follow up)
Truancy based on self-report
Assessed using the items from the Youth Delinquency Survey.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Secondary outcomes (15)
Conventional beliefs
Self-reported degree of conventional beliefs, or attitude towards delinquency, assessed using the Dutch translation of the Attitudes Towards Delinquent Behavior (ATDS) questionnaire (translated by the WODC).
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Minimizing/mislabeling
The degree in which the consequences of delinquent behavior are minimized, mislabeled or seen as acceptable, assessed using the How I Think (HIT) subscale 'Minimizing/Mislabeling' using the Dutch translation ('Hoe Ik Denk (HID)).
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Social skills
The degree in which pressure from friends to conduct delinquent behavior is experienced, assessed using a (self-developed) Dutch translation of the Peer Pressure Scale.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Taking responsibility for the consequences of behavior
The degree to which a sense of guilt, or responsibility, for the consequences for delinquent behaviour is experienced, assessed using the How I Think (HIT) subscale 'Blaming Others' using the Dutch translation ('Hoe Ik Denk' (HID)).
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Correct wrongdoing
The degree in which the wrongdoing and/or damages are corrected, assessed using a self-developed scale consisting of four question about having a conversation with the victim, apologizing to the victim, paying for the victim's damages and correcting the damages made.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Support from social network
The degree in which support from the social network is experienced and the degree in which respondents experience that they can ask their social network for help or advise (for example friends and family). Assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Scale is translated to Dutch by the WODC.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Experienced legitimacy
Experienced legitimacy during the first contact with Halt (experimental and control group) and during the Halt-intervention (experimental group), assessed using a four-item scale.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Experienced treatment
Experienced treatment during the first contact with Halt (experimental and control group) and during the Halt-intervention (experimental group) by the Halt-employee, assessed using a seven-item scale.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Receiving adequate information
The degree to which the information given during the first contact with Halt (experimental and control group) and during the Halt-intervention (experimental group) about the Halt-intervention is experienced as adequate and comprehensible, assessed using a self-developed six-item scale.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
The right to be informed
The degree to which participants have the feeling that they are heard during the first contact with Halt (experimental and control group) and during the Halt-intervention (experimental group), assessed using a self-developed six-item scale.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Experienced voluntariness
The degree to which participants experience being forced to confess the crime they committed, assessed using a self-developed three-item scale. Participants are asked (1) whether they feel that they were forced to confess their crime, (2) whether they feel it is justified that they are referred to Halt and (3) whether they feel that it is their own choice to go to Halt. These items will be presented to participants in the experimental and control group during T0 and to participants in the experimental group during T1.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Access to legal assistance
The degree to which participants have access to an attorney, assessed using two self-developed questions. Participants are asked whether they had the opportunity to (1) speak to a lawyer about their offence and had the opportunity to (2) speak to a lawyer about their referral to Halt. These items will be presented to participants in the experimental and control group during T0 and to participants in the experimental group during T1.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Knowledge of not obtaining a criminal record
Whether or not participants are aware of the fact that completion of the Halt-intervention results in not obtaining a criminal record (yes/no). These items will be presented to participants in the experimental and control group during T0 and to participants in the experimental group during T1.
Measured: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Experienced stigmatisation
The degree of experienced stigmatization, assessed using the four-item Stigmatisation subscale of the Re-integrative Shaming questionnaire.
Measured: T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Experienced re-integration
The degree of experienced re-integration, assessed using the four-item Re-integration subscale of the Re-integrative Shaming questionnaire.
Measured: T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Apr 2024
- Study start1 Feb 2024
- Primary completionJul 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionJul 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Criminal RecidivismStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- A comparison between two groups will be made. One half of the participants will be randomly assigned to a group that receives the Halt-intervention, while the other group receives no Halt-intervention.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 1,300 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Datacentrum
- Sponsor type
- Other government
- Collaborators
- Utrecht University, Leiden University
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, André van der Laan, Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Datacentrum
- Investigators
- André M. van der Laan, Prod. Dr., Principal investigator, Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Datacentrum
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06353204
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 3325
- Status last verified
- Apr 2024
- First submitted
- 12 Mar 2024
- Last updated
- 7 Mar 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: This study is part of a dissertation consisting of multiple articles which will be offered for publication to peer reviewed journals. First the study protocol article will be written and offered for publication to a peer reviewed journal, including a brief Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) and as supplement the Informed Consent Form (ICF). Thereafter the study results articles will be offered for publication to peer reviewed journals asap. During this period there is no plan to make individual participant data (IPD) available.
Publications
van Delft BJ, Zeijlmans K, Asscher JJ, Liefaard T, van der Laan AM. The effectiveness of the Dutch juvenile diversion program Halt: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychol. 2025 Jul 23;13(1):819. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03132-x.
PubMed 40702578
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Mar 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Diversion Measure Halt-intervention: a Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06353204
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 3325
- Conditions
- Criminal Recidivism, Delinquency, Antisocial Behavior
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 1,300 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en DatacentrumOther government
- Collaborators
- Utrecht University, Leiden University
- Study start
- 1 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Jul 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jul 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Apr 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
In the current study the effectiveness of the Dutch diversion measure Halt is investigated using a randomized controlled trial. Because of the thorough scientific substantiation of the intervention theory, it is hypothesized that receiving the Halt-intervention will lead to less recidivism in comparison to receiving no intervention.
Detailed description
The Halt-intervention is a widely used Dutch diversion measure for youth (aged 12-17) who committed a minor offence. In the current study, it will be investigated whether the Halt-intervention is successful in reducing recidivism and in achieving the intervention goals. The effectiveness will be assessed using a randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to the experimental condition in which participants will receive the halt intervention or to the control condition in which participants will not receive an intervention. Participants fill out three self-reported questionnaires over a time period of one year. With these questionnaires is it investigated whether the intervention is successful in achieving the different intervention goals (improving social skills, taking responsibility, correct wrongdoing or damage, improving conventional beliefs and improving support from the social network) and in achieving a reduction in recidivism. Furthermore, the adherence to children's rights in the practice of Halt is investigated. Lastly, two years after the first contact with Halt recidivism is assessed using official police and judicial records.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- A comparison between two groups will be made. One half of the participants will be randomly assigned to a group that receives the Halt-intervention, while the other group receives no Halt-intervention.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group: Halt-intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Halt-interventionThe experimental group will receive the Halt-intervention. |
| Control group: No Halt-intervention | No intervention | –The control group will not receive the Halt-intervention, nor will they receive any other intervention or form of punishment. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 12 to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Juveniles who have been referred to Halt after committing a minor offence that is eligible for the Halt-intervention.
- Juveniles between the ages of 12 and 18.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Participants who do not speak Dutch or who do not speak Dutch fluently.
- Participants who have already participated in the study before.
- Participants who are participating in the following Halt-programs: 'Hack_right', 'Respect Online' or 'Sport en Spel'.
- Participants of whom it is suspected that their are serious concerns for their safety.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Halt-interventionThe Halt-intervention is a Dutch extrajudicial, or diversion, measure for minors (aged 12-17) who committed a minor offence. The intervention can consist of conversations with the Halt-employee, working or learning assignments to learn from the mistakes made or to work on certain skills, such as social skills, and/or apologizing to the victim. | Behavioural | Experimental group: Halt-intervention |
Primary outcome
Criminal Recidivism based on self-report
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Assessed using the items from the Youth Delinquency Survey.
Criminal Recidivism based on official police records
Time frame: T3 (24 month follow up)
Assessed using official Dutch Police registration records.
Criminal Recidivism based on official judiciary records
Time frame: T3 (24 month follow up)
Assessed using official Dutch judicial records.
Truancy based on self-report
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Assessed using the items from the Youth Delinquency Survey.
15 secondary outcomes
Conventional beliefs
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Minimizing/mislabeling
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Social skills
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Taking responsibility for the consequences of behavior
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Correct wrongdoing
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Support from social network
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Experienced legitimacy
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Experienced treatment
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Receiving adequate information
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
The right to be informed
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Experienced voluntariness
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Access to legal assistance
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Knowledge of not obtaining a criminal record
Time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up)
Experienced stigmatisation
Time frame: T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Experienced re-integration
Time frame: T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Mar 2025.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 40702578van Delft BJ, Zeijlmans K, Asscher JJ, Liefaard T, van der Laan AM. The effectiveness of the Dutch juvenile diversion program Halt: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychol. 2025 Jul 23;13(1):819. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03132-x.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. This study is part of a dissertation consisting of multiple articles which will be offered for publication to peer reviewed journals. First the study protocol article will be written and offered for publication to a peer reviewed journal, including a brief Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) and as supplement the Informed Consent Form (ICF). Thereafter the study results articles will be offered for publication to peer reviewed journals asap. During this period there is no plan to make individual participant data (IPD) available.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
André M. van der Laan, Prod. Dr. principal investigator
Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Datacentrum
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Halt-intervention in people with Criminal Recidivism and Delinquency, run by Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Datacentrum at 1 site in Netherlands.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Netherlands. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Criminal Recidivism based on self-report (time frame: T0 (baseline); T1 (100 days follow up); T2 (12 month follow up)). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06353204, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Mar 2025.