Dutch Ministry of Justice

About: Dutch Ministry of Justice is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Poison control & Prison. The organization has 111 authors who have published 153 publications receiving 2764 citations.

From Health to Financial Problems: Multiproblems Among Victims of Partner and Non-Partner Physical Violence, and Matched Nonvictims.

Abstract: Previous research suggests that victims of partner physical violence (PPV) often face multiple distinct problems, but comparative population-based studies focusing on the prevalence of multiple problems are lacking. Aim of the present study is to gain insight in the prevalence of multiple problems among individuals victimized by PPV in the past 12 months, compared with matched nonvictims and victims of non-partner physical violence (non-PPV). For this purpose, data were extracted from two population-based surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019 on potentially traumatic events in the Netherlands. We focused on problems identified in previous studies on PPV and non-PPV and related problems, varying from physical health, mental health, financial and legal problems, to lack of social support and being exposed to other potentially traumatic and stressful life events (LFEs). In total, 49 respondents were victimized by PPV and 89 by non-PPV in the past 12 months. They were compared with pairwise matched groups not affected by any traumatic or stressful LFEs in this period (nPPV victims comparison group = 245, nnon-PPV comparison group = 445). Results showed that PPV victims significantly more often faced all 12 distinct problems than matched nonvictims (2.31 ≤ odds ratio [OR] ≤ 15.48) and non-PPV victims (2.12 ≤ OR ≤ 4.52). PPV victims more often had any problem than non-PPV victims (OR = 8.19), but no significant differences were found between PPV and non-PPV victims with regard to mental health problems. Findings stress the necessity of a multidisciplinary coordinated community response to help PPV victims.

Risk Levels, Treatment Duration, and Drop Out in a Clinically Composed Outpatient Sex Offender Treatment Group

Abstract: Previous research in the Netherlands documented that clinical judgment may yield a substantial amount of treatment referrals for sexual offenders that are inconsistent with actuarial risk assessment and the Risk Need Responsivity (RNR) principles. The present study tested the risk level distribution of a high-intensity, open-format outpatient treatment group. Eighty patients were enrolled during a 620-week period, and their STATIC-99R risk levels were retrospectively determined. The distribution of risk levels in this treatment group did not differ from the distribution of a representative sample of sex offenders referred to outpatient treatment in the Netherlands between 1996 and 2002 (n = 145), nor from the combined Canadian samples (n = 2011) used to assess STATIC-99R normative percentile. These findings suggest that no selection in terms of actuarial risk level occurred between conviction and treatment, leading to over-inclusion of low risk offenders in this high-intensity outpatient treatment group. It is concluded that the standard use of structured risk assessment for the compilation of treatment groups may improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of sex offender treatment in the Netherlands.

On the Usability of Big (Social) Data

Abstract: Due to the growing availability of huge amounts of data of different types and the growing capabilities to analyze these data, the expectations of big data applications are high. In this paper, we argue that the usability of big data in the social domain is far from trivial. If the outcomes of big data are wrongly interpreted, this may shape the development of our society in a wrong direction. Therefore, care should be taken of a proper interpretation of big data outcomes and its applications in real-life. To support such an interpretation, we distinguish three major building blocks in big data, the data as input for analyses, the algorithms to analyze the data, and the models as output of the analyses. We show that each of the building blocks entail different complications for a proper interpretation of big data outcomes in practice. Therefore, well thought-through strategies are required for using big data outcomes in a responsible way. We discuss a framework for such strategies.

Civil Law and Neuroscience

Abstract: The relationship between the brain and human behaviour is receiving increasing attention in legal practice. Much has already been published about the role of neuroscience in criminal law, but surprisingly little is known about its role in civil law. In this contribution, the relevance of neuroscientific insights within the civil law context will be demonstrated on the basis of examples in international publications from both continental and Anglo-American jurisdictions. Furthermore, a number of cases will be presented that demonstrate that neuroscientific information is already appearing in Dutch courtrooms in a broad array of civil law areas. These include liability law, health law, family law and contract law. The use of neuroscientific knowledge in civil law cases raises a number of general questions, regardless the jurisdiction, which will be identified on the basis of the literature and case law.