DelinquencyNCT07157761
The Effectiveness of a Dutch Program in Preventing Criminal Exploitation
A study testing Buit in de klas in people with Delinquency and Externalizing Behavior, run by Utrecht University at 1 site in Netherlands.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the prevention program 'Buit in de Klas' is effective. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 20 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Delinquency, Externalizing Behavior
- What is being tested?
- Buit in de klas
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 200 participants
- Where
- 1 siteNetherlands
- Study dates
- 5 Nov 2024to 31 Jul 2026
- 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 20 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- The participant is between 12-20 years old.
- The particpant attend school.
- Every student who meets the inclusion criteria for the intervention program can participate in the study
Who cannot join
- Participants are younger than 12 years old or older than 20 years old.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Netherlands1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Utrecht University
Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584 CS
Marit I van de Mheen, Msc., +3143264016, m.i.vandemheen@uu.nl
About this study
Official title: The Effectiveness of a Dutch Program in Preventing Criminal Exploitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the prevention program 'Buit in de Klas' is effective.
Read the detailed description
Due to the growing concerns about youth involvement in crime, the Dutch Government has recently provided substantial financial support to municipalities to prevent and address youth crime (Veiligheid, 2024). These funds are intended, in part, for prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing or preventing criminal involvement among young people. Aim of this study is to examine the effectives of the prevention program "Buit in de klas". Buit in de klas is a school-based prevention program for students aged 12-20) to prevent criminal exploitation. The program is offered at secondary schools, consisting of a film and an accompanying lesson, usually as part of lessons in citizenship. The prevention program aims to empower students to protect themselves and peers from criminal exploitation (Noord Holland Samen Veilig \& Garage2020., 2022).
To achieve these goals, the program has three intermediary objectives. First, it aims to improve students' knowledge to recognize early signs of risk for becoming a victim of criminal exploitation. Second, the program seeks to increase awareness of the consequences of criminal exploitation and thereby to influence cognitions and foster more negative attitudes toward criminal exploitation. Finally, the primary objective of the program is to teach students help-seeking skills when they or their peers are at risk of criminal exploitation.
The study hypothesis is that the prevention program Buit in de klas is effective in preventing criminal exploitation by increasing knowledge about the signs and consequences of criminal exploitation, enhancing empathy for children who are victims of criminal exploitation, and strengthening students' help-seeking skills.
- Conditions
- Delinquency, Externalizing Behavior
- Being tested
- Buit in de klas
- Keywords
- criminal exploitation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Buit in de klasBehavioural
The program is taught by a trusted teacher of the students (for example, their mentor). The program consists of a lesson of about one hour. It includes a short film and an interactive chat box that allows students to chat with the main character of the film. In addition, there is a guideline for discussing the topic in the classroom and information on where to find help.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| experimental group | Experimental | The program is taught by a trusted teacher of the students (for example, their mentor). The program consists of a lesson of about one hour. It includes a short film and an interactive chat box that allows students to chat with the main character of the film. In addition, there is a guideline for discussing the topic in the classroom and information on where to find help. Receives: Behavioral: Buit in de klas |
| control group | No intervention | This group will not participate in the program. They will receive the program afterwards, once data collection is finished. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Knowledge about criminal exploitation
Knowledge of criminal exploitation will be assessed using six questions. First, participants are asked: 'Do you know what criminal exploitation is?' Those who respond with 'yes' or 'a little' are then invited to describe, in their own words, what it entails. In addition, a multiple-choice question asks participants to select the definition that best fits criminal exploitation. A subsequent item asks: 'How well do you think you can recognize signs of criminal exploitation?' Another question assesses whether participants know someone who has been asked to engage in criminal activity, and, if so, how they recognized this.
Measured: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).
Attitudes toward criminal exploitation
Attitudes will be measured using a questionnaire adapted from the Attitude Towards Delinquent Behaviour Questionnaire (ATDS; Menard \& Huizinga, 1994). Nine items will be rated on a 4-point Likert scale, with response options ranging from 'not wrong at all' to 'very wrong.' An example item is: 'What do you think about someone your age stealing something worth more than 50 euros?. Empathy towards peers will be measured using three statements (e.g., 'I feel sorry for classmates who are treated unfairly').
Measured: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).
Help-seeking behaviour
Will be measured using the 12-item Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) (Zimet et al., 1990).
Participants rate statements such as "I have a special person who is a real source of comfort to me" and "I can talk about my problems with my family" on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very strongly disagree to 5 = very strongly agree).
Higher scores indicate greater levels of experienced support. And a question that assesses whether they know where to find help, either for themselves or for a peer who may be at risk of criminal exploitation.
Measured: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).
Secondary outcomes (1)
Externalizing behaviour
will be measured using the externalizing behavior and delinquency subscales of the Youth Self-Report (YSR) (Verhulst \& Van der Ende, 1992). The instrument focuses on various externalizing behaviors, including aggression and delinquent behavior. The YSR includes items such as "I fight a lot", which are rated on a 3-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 2 (often). Higher scores on the YSR externalizing subscale indicate greater levels of externalizing behavior.
Measured: Baseline (T0) and 6 months after the program (T2)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Sep 2025
- Study start5 Nov 2024
- Primary completion31 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Jul 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for DelinquencyStudies 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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- A cluster RCT will be used to determine the effectiveness of the program. Within each school, classes will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group, in which the program starts as soon as possible, or to a waitlist control group, which starts after the follow-up period (six months). Randomization to either the experimental or control group will take place using a computerized randomization in a 1:1 ratio.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Utrecht University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- VU University of Amsterdam, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Marit van de Mheen, Utrecht University
- Investigators
- Jessica J Asscher, PhD., Principal investigator, Utrecht University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07157761
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1434.201.001.a
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 28 Aug 2025
- Last updated
- 5 Sep 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: The data can be shared in anonymized form upon request.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Sep 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effectiveness of a Dutch Program in Preventing Criminal Exploitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07157761
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1434.201.001.a
- Conditions
- Delinquency, Externalizing Behavior
- Keywords
- criminal exploitation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Utrecht UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- VU University of Amsterdam, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement
- Study start
- 5 Nov 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 5 Sep 2025 (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.
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the prevention program 'Buit in de Klas' is effective.
Detailed description
Due to the growing concerns about youth involvement in crime, the Dutch Government has recently provided substantial financial support to municipalities to prevent and address youth crime (Veiligheid, 2024). These funds are intended, in part, for prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing or preventing criminal involvement among young people. Aim of this study is to examine the effectives of the prevention program "Buit in de klas". Buit in de klas is a school-based prevention program for students aged 12-20) to prevent criminal exploitation. The program is offered at secondary schools, consisting of a film and an accompanying lesson, usually as part of lessons in citizenship. The prevention program aims to empower students to protect themselves and peers from criminal exploitation (Noord Holland Samen Veilig \& Garage2020., 2022).
To achieve these goals, the program has three intermediary objectives. First, it aims to improve students' knowledge to recognize early signs of risk for becoming a victim of criminal exploitation. Second, the program seeks to increase awareness of the consequences of criminal exploitation and thereby to influence cognitions and foster more negative attitudes toward criminal exploitation. Finally, the primary objective of the program is to teach students help-seeking skills when they or their peers are at risk of criminal exploitation.
The study hypothesis is that the prevention program Buit in de klas is effective in preventing criminal exploitation by increasing knowledge about the signs and consequences of criminal exploitation, enhancing empathy for children who are victims of criminal exploitation, and strengthening students' help-seeking skills.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- A cluster RCT will be used to determine the effectiveness of the program. Within each school, classes will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group, in which the program starts as soon as possible, or to a waitlist control group, which starts after the follow-up period (six months). Randomization to either the experimental or control group will take place using a computerized randomization in a 1:1 ratio.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| experimental group | Experimental | Behavioral: Buit in de klasThe program is taught by a trusted teacher of the students (for example, their mentor). The program consists of a lesson of about one hour. It includes a short film and an interactive chat box that allows students to chat with the main character of the film. In addition, there is a guideline for discussing the topic in the classroom and information on where to find help. |
| control group | No intervention | –This group will not participate in the program. They will receive the program afterwards, once data collection is finished. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 12 to 20 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- The participant is between 12-20 years old.
- The particpant attend school.
- Every student who meets the inclusion criteria for the intervention program can participate in the study
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants are younger than 12 years old or older than 20 years old.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Buit in de klasThe program is taught by a trusted teacher of the students (for example, their mentor). The program consists of a lesson of about one hour. It includes a short film and an interactive chat box that allows students to chat with the main character of the film. In addition, there is a guideline for discussing the topic in the classroom and information on where to find help. | Behavioural | experimental group |
Primary outcome
Knowledge about criminal exploitation
Time frame: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).
Knowledge of criminal exploitation will be assessed using six questions. First, participants are asked: 'Do you know what criminal exploitation is?' Those who respond with 'yes' or 'a little' are then invited to describe, in their own words, what it entails. In addition, a multiple-choice question asks participants to select the definition that best fits criminal exploitation. A subsequent item asks: 'How well do you think you can recognize signs of criminal exploitation?' Another question assesses whether participants know someone who has been asked to engage in criminal activity, and, if so, how they recognized this.
Attitudes toward criminal exploitation
Time frame: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).
Attitudes will be measured using a questionnaire adapted from the Attitude Towards Delinquent Behaviour Questionnaire (ATDS; Menard \& Huizinga, 1994). Nine items will be rated on a 4-point Likert scale, with response options ranging from 'not wrong at all' to 'very wrong.' An example item is: 'What do you think about someone your age stealing something worth more than 50 euros?. Empathy towards peers will be measured using three statements (e.g., 'I feel sorry for classmates who are treated unfairly').
Help-seeking behaviour
Time frame: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).
Will be measured using the 12-item Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) (Zimet et al., 1990). Participants rate statements such as "I have a special person who is a real source of comfort to me" and "I can talk about my problems with my family" on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very strongly disagree to 5 = very strongly agree). Higher scores indicate greater levels of experienced support. And a question that assesses whether they know where to find help, either for themselves or for a peer who may be at risk of criminal exploitation.
1 secondary outcome
Externalizing behaviour
Time frame: Baseline (T0) and 6 months after the program (T2)
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 5 Sep 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. The data can be shared in anonymized form upon request.
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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.
Jessica J Asscher, PhD. principal investigator
Utrecht University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Buit in de klas in people with Delinquency and Externalizing Behavior, run by Utrecht University 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 3 inclusion and 1 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Sep 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?
Contact Marit I van de Mheen, Msc. (+31643264016, m.i.vandemheen@uu.nl), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Knowledge about criminal exploitation (time frame: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 5 Sep 2025.