Age Is Just A Number

This is not a true crime talk. Most people (including most Dutch ones) assume the law treats you as an adult the moment you turn 18. The Dutch criminal justice system does something more nuanced than that. Since 2014, the Netherlands has operated under Adolescent Criminal Law — a system built on the premise that developmental age matters more than chronological age. A judge can apply juvenile criminal law to offenders up to 23, or adult criminal law from as young as 16. The deciding factor isn't a birthday. It's a professional assessment of how old the brain actually is. Lotte Baudert advises on risk and interventions. As a forensic criminologist and probation officer at Fivoor GGZ, she advises prosecutors and judges on risk and what intervention actually reduces the chance of reoffending. This lecture unpacks how the system works, the common misunderstandings surrounding it, and the role neuroscience plays in decisions that shape someone's life. At its core, Dutch criminal justice treats rehabilitation and resocialization as one of the primary goals rather than punishment. Lotte will explore what that means in practice, and why it might invite us to think about justice differently. The format Doors open at 19:00 — come early, grab a drink, mingle before it starts. The talk begins at 19:30: 45 minutes, followed by an open Q&A. No official end — the bar stays open after, so stick around to keep talking with Lotte. The talk is in English. About Lecture Lounge A bi-monthly series of expert-led talks, held in bars — never a lecture hall. One subject, one speaker, intimate enough size to ask anything. Somewhere between a bar and a classroom. Every event so far has sold out. FAQ: Why does my card show as charged when I join the waitlist? If you've joined the waitlist for a sold-out ticket type and noticed your bank app showing a deduction, don't worry — no money has actually left your account. When you join a waitlist, we place an authorization hold on your card rather than charging it. Most banks reduce your available balance immediately for a pending hold, so it can look identical to a completed payment in your banking app — but it isn't. The funds haven't been captured, and they're only captured if and when you're approved off the waitlist. If you're not approved (or you cancel), the hold is released right away on our end, though it can take your bank a few extra days to clear it from your statement — that timing is on their side, not ours. If you have any questions about this, feel free to reach out to us directly.