200 Years of Dutch Probation: Lessons Learned and Global Obligations for a Progressive Probation System
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SESSION INFO

Monday, August 25, 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Session Type: Workshop
Sponsored by the International Relations Committee: This presentation draws on the rich history and evolution of Dutch probation practices—spanning two centuries—to offer valuable insights for the international probation and parole community. By examining how the Netherlands shifted from a punitive approach to a rehabilitative, community-based model, the presentation will highlight strategies that have contributed to lower incarceration rates, reduced recidivism, and enhanced reintegration efforts. This topic is particularly timely for APPA’s 50th Anniversary Conference in August 2025 in New York, as it underscores both historical achievements and future obligations for effective probation practices worldwide.

SESSION PRESENTERS
Joseph Arvidson
Executive Director , The Paragon Group, LLC


Joseph Arvidson, MS, with over 37 years in Corrections, is the Executive Director of The Paragon Group, advancing evidence-based criminal justice practices globally. He co-created the TIDES Supervision Model, integrating trauma-informed care with desistance theories, to enhance correctional interventions and approaches. Joseph also founded The Criminologist Media Group, and produces and hosts The Criminologist podcast. An adjunct faculty member at two Minnesota universities, he is also certified to train numerous core correctional skills and practices. His work has impacted professionals domestically, and he has influenced practitioners in the international sphere as well, from Europe, to the Middle East, and Australia.

Jochum Wildeman
Director International Bureau, Dutch Probation Services


Jochum has worked for the Dutch Probation Service for more than 20 years, as a probation officer in the most challenging districts of Amsterdam, regional manager and (since 1 July 2020) as the Director of the International Bureau of the Dutch Probation Service. The International Bureau supports Dutch citizens in foreign detention and participates in international (development) projects in the field of probation. As director, Jochum is involved as an expert and consultant in a number of probation projects all around the world in recent years. Jochum Wildeman was heading the organisation of the World Congress on Probation and Parole in april 2024 in The Netherlands.