Matching offender to forensic care site - IFZO

Addiction rehabilitation foundation GGZ

The court can impose forensic care on people who committed a crime and suffer from addiction, psychiatric or psychological problems. This care is then part of the sentence or measure imposed by the court. When the probation service is ordered to supervise this, it places clients with a forensic care provider. This algorithm suggests suitable care providers.

Last change on 15th of December 2025, at 12:01 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0

• Publication category: Other algorithms
• Impact assessment: Field not filled in.
• Status: In use

General information

Theme

Law

Begin date

2010-01

Contact information

[e-mail] De Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen is eigenaar van dit algoritme. We verwijzen u ook naar de publicatie door Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen in dit algoritmeregister mocht u vragen hebben over dit algoritme. Heeft u vragen over hoe de reclassering dit algoritme gebruikt dan kunt u contact opnemen met bovenstaand mailadres.

Link to publication website

Op https://www.forensischezorg.nl/praktijk/zorgaanbod/locaties staan de locaties van de forensische zorgaanbieders

Link to source registration

https://algoritmes.overheid.nl/nl/algoritme/oorg10114/85258929/matchen-justitiabele-aan-forensische-zorglocatie-ifzo-algoritme

Responsible use

Goal and impact

Forensic care can be imposed as a special condition with a (partly) suspended sentence. Besides the general condition (no new offences), the judge can also impose special conditions, including the obligation to undergo treatment. The probation service monitors compliance with the special conditions. When forensic care is imposed, the probation service places clients with a forensic care provider. The probation service can only place in outpatient care, which involves outpatient treatment, supervision and day care. And in residential care when it does not follow clinical care.

There are many care providers and thousands of placements every year. In this text, we are only talking about how the probation service works. For more information, we refer to DJI's registration of the algorithm, on which the content in this description is partly based.

Terms used:

Clients: are all people about whom the probation service advises or on whom the probation service supervises on behalf of OM, ZM or DJI.

Indication: an expert's advice on what kind of care and security a client needs. On this basis, the best place is considered.

Placement framework: the placement framework contains the rules on the placement system. This document is public. It allows care providers and clients to see how a placement is made, which is required by the Forensic Care Act.

Criteria: these are data about clients that are important for placement. These are the hard criteria, such as gender, age and care needs. For the full list of criteria, see the heading 'Data' in this text. Each healthcare provider has determined which criteria it can provide care for.

Contraindications: data that may lead to a different decision than the normal criteria. We also call these the soft criteria, such as an area ban, incidents, or that the appropriate institution is full.

The algorithm suggests the right place at a care provider. It allows the probation worker to register clients with forensic care providers.

The rules from the placement framework are the basis of this algorithm.

The three probation organisations in the Netherlands use IFZO in a uniform way. These are the institutions of Stichting Verslavingsreclassering GGZ, Reclassering Nederland and Stichting Leger des Heils Jeugdbescherming & Reclassering.

Considerations

The algorithm cannot take everything into account. Therefore, a probation officer always evaluates the algorithm's proposal. For the care provider, it is important that the care the client needs matches the care the care provider provides.

It is very important for a client to get to the right place to get the right care. There are rules for this, these are:

- The client must get the right care and security

- The client must get the right care on time (think waiting lists)

- The place where the client stays must be accessible, including to family, friends and acquaintances (in the right region).

A client could also be placed without an algorithm. But that is difficult, because in the Netherlands there are many different care providers and many clients with different care needs. That is why an algorithm is used. The algorithm makes choosing the right care provider more efficient, transparent and uniform.

Human intervention

A probation worker looks at the care providers suggested by the algorithm. The algorithm usually suggests several care providers. A probation worker then makes a choice according to the placement framework. If necessary, any contraindications are taken into account.

If there is no care provider that meets the criteria, the algorithm does not suggest a care provider. This is because a suitable care provider near the client has then not been found. If the algorithm cannot find a care provider nearby, the probation worker asks the algorithm to look outside the region for a suitable care provider. The algorithm then searches again for care providers that can provide the client with the required care.

A probation worker may deviate from the algorithm's proposal. However, the probation worker must have good reasons for doing so and provide justification. What these reasons might be is set out in the placement framework and we call these contraindications. For example, if the victim lives near the care provider or if there is a long waiting list. A probation worker will look at the situation and choose the most appropriate care provider for the client. Because it is important that the client gets the necessary/appropriate care on time.

Risk management

The algorithm is in DJI's placement system. That system contains a lot of sensitive data, such as medical data and criminal record data. Probation officers know how to handle confidential data; they are trained in this. Only probation workers who have been instructed to do so can work in the placement system and access the data it contains.

There is a risk that probation workers do not use the algorithm. To prevent this, when deviating from the algorithm's proposal, workers must justify why they do so. Thus, it is not possible to place a client without the algorithm's proposal.

See further the registration of this algorithm by DJI in the register.

Legal basis

Art. 8(1)(d) Probation Rules 1995

Forensic Care Act article 2.6

Reclasseringsregeling 1995, art 8

Links to legal bases

• Art. 8 Probation Regulation 1995: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0007120/2019-06-26
• Forensic Care Act,: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0040634/2025-07-01#Hoofdstuk2

Elaboration on impact assessments

Impact tests for the algorithm carried out by DJI - see registration in the registry

Operations

Data

Below is what data (criteria) the algorithm uses for placements in tbs with compulsory treatment and inpatient care. In tbs and inpatient care, a client is admitted to a care location.

The criteria are: Geographical area (e.g. postcode or district), gender, age, some clinical (medically confidential) data: DSM main group, mental capacity, sex offence present, care setting, type of stay, explanation of main diagnosis ''Substance-related disorder''.

A client may also receive residential care. Residential care is forensic care in which the client does not (no longer) reside in a clinic but in a protected living environment where the client also stays overnight.

The criteria are: Geographical area (e.g. postcode or district), gender, age, some clinical (medically confidential) data: dominant demand for care, most relevant additional problems, nature of the demand for care, range, need for specific outreach approach/mediation.

A client may also receive outpatient care. Ambulatory care is forensic care where the client does not (no longer) reside in a clinic. The criteria are: Geographical area (e.g. postcode or district), gender, some clinical (medically confidential) data: dominant care demand, most relevant additional problems, nature of the care demand, range, need for specific outreach approach/emergent care.

Technical design

The algorithm is a kind of choice diagram (decision tree) and is therefore not self-learning. As a result, the algorithm cannot make choices based on prejudice (bias) or favour certain individuals or care providers. The algorithm suggests a healthcare provider that DJI has a contract with. The algorithm makes a proposal based on the entered criteria of clients (based on the indication) and compares these with the criteria of care providers. Only care providers that meet all criteria are shown to the employee. There are contraindications that may be important when suggesting a care provider, but are not built into the algorithm. Such as waiting lists or the interests of a victim.

External provider

This programme was created and is managed by the Judicial ICT Organisation of the Ministry of Justice and Security.