A million euros has been allocated to a pilot project addressing youth crime in Hoorn and Den Helder. Justice and Security Minister David van Weel visited Den Helder to hear how the municipalities are working with youth workers, security coordinators, schools, street outreach, sports and an online youth worker. The initiatives include support for young people dealing with substance use and helping a 16-year-old who had been out of school for two years start an MBO-1 course.

The programme operates amid criticism that the national Prevention with Authority programme lacks evidence of effectiveness. Youth workers said it was difficult to quantify results but described individual successes. Van Weel said he wanted to gather effective approaches for use in other municipalities and develop a model programme, while indicating that the national government would not ultimately continue subsidising the programmes indefinitely. He said it should retain a coordinating role, share experiences and safeguard quality.