Vzw De Huizen
VZW De Huizen is a Belgian non-profit founded in 2012 that advocates replacing traditional prisons with small-scale, community-anchored detention houses, serving Belgian policymakers, criminal justice professionals, and detained or ex-detained persons. Since 2019 it operates as the Belgian partner of the pan-European RESCALED network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersKessel-Lo (Leuven), Belgium
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Vzw De Huizen does
VZW De Huizen (also known as Les Maisons asbl) is a Belgian non-profit organization (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk / association sans but lucratif) founded in 2012 and headquartered at Diestsesteenweg 49, 3010 Kessel-Lo (Leuven), Belgium. The organization advocates for replacing traditional prisons with small-scale, differentiated, community-anchored "detention houses" (detentiehuizen) as an alternative penitentiary model. Its work targets Belgian government officials, criminal justice stakeholders, and detained or ex-detained persons, with the stated objective of reducing recidivism and addressing overcrowding and inadequate reintegration outcomes in the classical prison system. The organization reports a 30% reduction in recidivism for residents of transition houses as a quantifiable outcome of its model.
The organization operates on a non-commercial basis, accepting donations and likely relying on grants and contributions to fund its advocacy, research dissemination, and educational outreach. It does not sell products or services, has no proprietary technology, and runs with a small staff of approximately seven employees. Its go-to-market is advocacy-driven: a website (dehuizen.be) and LinkedIn presence, regular coverage in Belgian mainstream media (VRT, De Morgen, Knack, HLN, regional outlets), and direct engagement with policymakers to influence legislation supporting detention houses. The organization received the Solidariteitsprijs from De Standaard in 2013.
Since 2019, VZW De Huizen has functioned as the Belgian national partner of RESCALED, a European network organization that promotes small-scale detention models and operates with members in seventeen countries and national offices in six. This partnership gives the organization access to pan-European research, peer advocacy frameworks, and cross-border legitimacy, and positions it as the originating Flemish voice within a broader movement. Its disclosed operating geography is Flanders, Belgium, with no current commercial footprint.
Vzw De Huizen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vzw De Huizen
- Legal name
- VZW De Huizen
- Website
- https://dehuizen.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- VZW De Huizen is a Belgian non-profit founded in 2012 that advocates replacing traditional prisons with small-scale, community-anchored detention houses, serving Belgian policymakers, criminal justice professionals, and detained or ex-detained persons. Since 2019 it operates as the Belgian partner of the pan-European RESCALED network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vzw De Huizen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Criminal Justice Advocacy
- NAICS
- Parole Offices and Probation Offices (92215), Correctional Institutions (92214)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management) (BPAKANAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Corrections (Probation, Parole & Reentry) (BPAIAFAE), Adult Corrections (Prisons & Jails) (BPAIAFAD)
Keywords
Where Vzw De Huizen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kessel-Lo (Leuven)
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Vzw De Huizen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Vzw De Huizen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vzw De Huizen is a Belgian non-profit advocacy organization that promotes the concept of "detention houses" (detentiehuizen / maisons de détention) as an alternative to the classical prison system in Belgium. The organization advocates for small-scale (around 50 places), differentiated, and community-anchored detention facilities focused on reintegration rather than isolation, working with government, practitioners, academics, and local communities to advance penal reform.
Product overview
Vzw De Huizen is a non-profit advocacy organization, not a product company. It does not offer commercial products or services. The organization advocates for the replacement of traditional prisons with small-scale detention houses (detentiehuizen) as an alternative penitentiary paradigm. The core concept is built on three pillars: kleinschalig (small-scale), gedifferentieerd (differentiated), and verankerd in de buurt (community-anchored). Since 2019, Vzw De Huizen serves as the Belgian partner of RESCALED, a European network organization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Advocacy for Detention Houses (Detentiehuizen / Maisons de détention)
- Belgian RESCALED Partnership Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% reduction in recidivism reported for residents of transition houses
Companies that use Vzw De Huizen
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Vzw De Huizen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Vzw De Huizen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- RESCALEDcoreSince 2019, VZW De Huizen has been the Belgian partner of RESCALED, a European movement that aims to replace current prisons with small-scale detention houses. RESCALED is a network organization with members in seventeen countries and has national offices in six countries, including VZW De Huizen in Belgium. This partnership is central to the organization's mission and international advocacy work.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Vzw De Huizen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RESCALED: The pan-European movement for small-scale, community-anchored detention houses of which VZW De Huizen is the Belgian partner. RESCALED shares the same conceptual framework, three-pillar model, and reform agenda, making it the closest structural counterpart — essentially a network-level peer.
- Prison Reform Trust: UK charity that works to reduce unnecessary imprisonment and promote community solutions for offenders. It mirrors VZW De Huizen's advocacy model of combining research, media engagement, and policy lobbying to advance alternatives to traditional prison systems.
- Centre for Justice Innovation: A UK charity that develops and tests practical innovations in the criminal justice system, including community-based alternatives to custody. Comparable to VZW De Huizen in combining advocacy with on-the-ground piloting of alternative detention models.
- Howard League for Penal Reform: The UK's oldest penal reform charity, focused on advocacy and research to reduce imprisonment and promote community-based alternatives. Like VZW De Huizen, it is a non-profit advocacy organization targeting policymakers and criminal justice stakeholders with a mission to reform detention systems.
- Just Detention International: A US-based health and human rights organization dedicated to ending sexual abuse in detention and promoting humane custodial conditions. It is comparable as a non-profit advocacy organization targeting systemic reform of detention environments and prisoner wellbeing.
Emerging players
- RECLAIM: A UK charity focused on working with at-risk and justice-involved young people to prevent criminalization and improve reintegration. It overlaps with VZW De Huizen's reintegration pillar but targets a narrower youth-focused segment rather than the adult detention system.
Others
- European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT): Council of Europe body that monitors places of detention across Europe to prevent ill-treatment. It is an enabling/oversight peer rather than a direct competitor, since VZW De Huizen's small-scale detention model aligns with the humane-conditions standards CPT promotes.
Broad incumbents
- Penal Reform International: An international non-governmental organization working globally on penal reform, human rights in detention, and rehabilitation. It operates at significantly broader geographic scale than VZW De Huizen but pursues closely aligned goals around humane, rights-based detention.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Vzw De Huizen social profiles
Digital presenceVzw De Huizen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vzw De Huizen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Vzw De Huizen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vzw De Huizen M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vzw De Huizen
What does Vzw De Huizen do?
Vzw De Huizen is a Belgian non-profit advocacy organization that promotes the concept of "detention houses" (detentiehuizen / maisons de détention) as an alternative to the classical prison system in Belgium. The organization advocates for small-scale (around 50 places), differentiated, and community-anchored detention facilities focused on reintegration rather than isolation, working with government, practitioners, academics, and local communities to advance penal reform.
Is Vzw De Huizen a public or private company?
Vzw De Huizen is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Vzw De Huizen founded?
Vzw De Huizen was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Vzw De Huizen based?
Vzw De Huizen is headquartered in Kessel-Lo (Leuven), Belgium, in the Europe region.
Who are Vzw De Huizen's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RESCALED, Prison Reform Trust, Centre for Justice Innovation, Howard League for Penal Reform and Just Detention International. RECLAIM is listed as an emerging player. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) is listed as an others. Penal Reform International is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Vzw De Huizen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vzw De Huizen.
What industry is Vzw De Huizen in?
Vzw De Huizen's product category is Criminal Justice Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAKANAH, Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management), with a secondary code of BPAIAFAE, Community Corrections (Probation, Parole & Reentry). Its NAICS code is 92215 and its SIC code is 8600.