Small-scale community-embedded youth justice facilities: lessons from Dutch reforms and recommendations for cross-jurisdictional implementation.

Youth justice settings should provide a safe, therapeutic environment and tailored approach. Current custodial models rarely meet these aims; in part because a focus on security tends to outweigh an emphasis on care, which diminishes rather than encourages young people’s positive development. Drawing on the results of a three-year evaluation of reforms in the Netherlands, including small-scale, community-embedded facilities with a focus on relational security. By outlining the target population, key operational elements, and conditions for implementation, we provide guidance for custodial staff, and for managers and policymakers seeking to promote political and financial investment in effective youth justice strategies.