The Evens Science Prize 2009

In 2009, the Evens Foundation asked the Youth Mental Health department of the Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute, Antwerp University (CAPRI) to draw up European policy recommendations for implementing effective care in Europe for young persons who engage in serious violent behavior, based on an inventory of existing evidence-based care programs and on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Serious violent behavior by young people has long been the subject of concern in various European countries. The response to it varies greatly. In some countries, children who commit serious crimes are deemed responsible for their actions, and specific criminal law has been developed, with appropriate juvenile prisons. In other countries, interventions are based on youth protection. Evidence is increasing that placement and imprisonment do not prevent re-offending. There are even indications to the contrary.

In 2009, the Evens Foundation asked the Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI) at the University of Antwerp, department youth mental health, to make an inventory of evidence-based programs for the care of violent youth in European countries, and to translate these findings into guidelines and policy recommendations for effective care of violent youth in Europe, based on the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The research report Prevention and intervention programs for violent youth in Europe, published in fall 2010, represents the results of this research, carried out under the direction of Prof. Dirk Deboutte (CAPRI) in collaboration with the European Association for Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychology and other involved Professions (EFCAP) and with the helpful cooperation of European experts in the field of evidence-based youth care: Dr Rémy Barbe (Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève), Dr Guillaume Bronsard (Psychiatrie de l’enfant et de l’adolescent, Marseille), Prof. Theo Doreleijers (VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam) and Prof. Robert Vermeiren (Leiden University Medical Center).

In November 2010, the research results were presented by Prof. Deboutte to the parliamentary commission on youth care of the Flemish Parliament.

With this research report, the Evens Foundation hopes to bring about social change by providing recommendations and examples of good practice to policymakers at the local, national and European level and to professionals engaged in youth care on a day-to-day basis, who in turn can put these into practice.

In 2009, the Evens Foundation asked the Youth Mental Health department of the Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute, Antwerp University (CAPRI) to draw up European policy recommendations for implementing effective care in Europe for young persons who engage in serious violent behavior, based on an inventory of existing evidence-based care programs and on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Serious violent behavior by young people has long been the subject of concern in various European countries. The response to it varies greatly. In some countries, children who commit serious crimes are deemed responsible for their actions, and specific criminal law has been developed, with appropriate juvenile prisons. In other countries, interventions are based on youth protection. Evidence is increasing that placement and imprisonment do not prevent re-offending. There are even indications to the contrary.

In 2009, the Evens Foundation asked the Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI) at the University of Antwerp, department youth mental health, to make an inventory of evidence-based programs for the care of violent youth in European countries, and to translate these findings into guidelines and policy recommendations for effective care of violent youth in Europe, based on the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The research report Prevention and intervention programs for violent youth in Europe, published in fall 2010, represents the results of this research, carried out under the direction of Prof. Dirk Deboutte (CAPRI) in collaboration with the European Association for Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychology and other involved Professions (EFCAP) and with the helpful cooperation of European experts in the field of evidence-based youth care: Dr Rémy Barbe (Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève), Dr Guillaume Bronsard (Psychiatrie de l’enfant et de l’adolescent, Marseille), Prof. Theo Doreleijers (VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam) and Prof. Robert Vermeiren (Leiden University Medical Center).

In November 2010, the research results were presented by Prof. Deboutte to the parliamentary commission on youth care of the Flemish Parliament.

With this research report, the Evens Foundation hopes to bring about social change by providing recommendations and examples of good practice to policymakers at the local, national and European level and to professionals engaged in youth care on a day-to-day basis, who in turn can put these into practice.