Youths’ involvement in organized crime is worrisome, as it not only disrupts a healthy development, but also aggravates youths’ criminal behavior, and makes it harder to return to living a crime-free life. Social ties play an import role in the way youths get and stay involved in organized crime, that is why interventions are needed that target the youth, but also the youth’s social environment. We examine hotspots and mechanisms underlying organized crime involvement and use the knowledge gained to improve and implement intervention strategies. This way, the proposed project directly contributes to effectively decreasing youths’ involvement in organized crime.

Youths’ involvement in organized crime is worrisome, as it not only disrupts a healthy development, but also aggravates youths’ criminal behavior, and makes it harder to return to living a crime-free life. Social ties play an import role in the way youths get and stay involved in organized crime, that is why interventions are needed that target the youth, but also the youth’s social environment. We examine hotspots and mechanisms underlying organized crime involvement and use the knowledge gained to improve and implement intervention strategies. This way, the proposed project directly contributes to effectively decreasing youths’ involvement in organized crime.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common neurological disorder among young adults (20-40 years), causing, next to physical symptoms, cognitive decline in up to 70% of the patients. These cognitive symptoms are highly debilitating and among the main reasons for unemployment and disconnection from society. Currently, cognitive rehabilitation and work coaching is only indicated when symptoms are present. However, once symptoms are present, extensive and mostly irreversible brain damage will limit the effects of interventions, i.e. intervening when symptoms are present and the societal consequences are tangible is too late. This means that early intervention is key to prevent future problems and to enable patients to live their life as they see fit. The aim of Don’t be late! is to induce a paradigm shift: from symptom management towards the prevention of symptoms. This requires 1) timely detection of subclinical cognitive deficits, 2) availability of preventative interventions and 3) collaboration between stakeholders to ensure implementation in clinical practice. All steps are incorporated in Don’t be late! In work package (WP) 1 a digital tool for timely detection of cognitive deficits is introduced. In WP2 novel preventative approaches “strengthening the brain” (exercise, lifestyle advice and cognitive training) and “strengthening the mind” (coaching at work) are expected to improve quality of life and prevent future cognitive decline and unemployment (WP2). In WP3, stakeholders, including patients, will evaluate (and adjust) research outcomes to foster proper implementation. Our goals fit perfectly with two game changers of the NWA route “Health care research, sickness prevention and treatment”: 1) introducing a new research paradigm that will enhance participation in society and 2) investing in sickness prevention by introducing two novel interventions. While extremely relevant to people with MS, Don’t be late! might also set the stage for other chronic diseases.

Juvenile delinquency is a significant problem in our society. In forensic practice, we focus on treatment of juvenile delinquents, in order to reduce the risk of recidivism. Unfortunately, interventions are not yet effective for all forenisc youth. We believe this can be improved by taking into account the neurobiological development of youth. Therefore, in this project we will investigate how the individual neurobiological development of juvenile delinquentsis related to their psychosocial development and the effectiveness of treatment. With this knowledge, we can apply existing forensic interventions and adolescent criminal law more effectively.

Antisocial behaviour poses a major burden for society. Revealing its causes may provide clues for treatment and prevention. However, antisocial behaviour is phenotypically heterogeneous and of polygenic nature, both of which seriously hamper current etiological investigations. The proposed research aims to tackle these two issues by using an innovative, integrated strategy incorporatinggenetics and imaging, and by capitalizing on the availability of large genetically informative datasets for antisocial behaviour as well as a smaller but unique dataset of juvenile delinquents with imaging data. We aim to identify biological pathways underlying antisocial behaviour, which could inform and improve current treatment strategies.