Is technologische innovatie de belofte die de forensische jeugdzorg nodig heeft?

Is technological innovation the solution that the juvenile justice system now needs? Technological innovations offer an opportunity to strengthen the juvenile justice system in the Netherlands in different ways. They can improve diagnostics, provide more effective and personalised treatment, and contribute to the alleviation of systemic problems, such as staff shortages. This way, innovation can affect both the content and the organisation of forensic youth care. Although innovations are already being used successfully in other fields, and with positive results, their use in the domain of forensic youth care has thus far been limited. Whereas various pilot projects and initiatives experimenting with technology have been launched, there remains a lack of empirical research among this target group. Therefore, the next step towards large-scale implementation is not taken. Structural investments are needed to move from potential to the actual implementation of innovative technology in forensic youth care. In this opinion piece, the authors argue that technological innovations can make forensic youth care more effective and also that it has the potential to increase efficiency. They share a comprehensive roadmap explaining how to move forward with technological innovation in forensic youth care (develop, test, plan, implement, evaluate) to ensure future-proof, effective care for this group of vulnerable young people.