Rescaled
Rescaled is a Belgian non-profit network organization founded in 2019 that advocates across 17 European countries for replacing large prisons with small-scale, community-integrated detention houses, serving policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and people with lived experience in criminal justice reform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersElsene, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Rescaled does
RESCALED (legally RESCALED IVZW) is a Brussels-headquartered, Belgian-registered non-profit network organization founded in 2019 that advocates across Europe for the replacement of large-scale prison institutions with 'detention houses' built on three interconnected principles: small-scale design, differentiation tailored to individual needs, and community-integration that links facilities with surrounding service providers. The organization addresses a target population of approximately 1.5 million incarcerated individuals across Europe, serving policymakers, practitioners, journalists, researchers, civil society, and people with lived experience as its primary stakeholder segments.
Its core products are knowledge platforms and EU-funded project outputs rather than commercial technology: the RESCALED website serves as the central hub; the Inspirational Practices Database (rescaled-inspire.org) catalogs 80+ small-scale facility examples searchable by type, location, and principle; the 'Let's Talk RESCALED' podcast series disseminates reform narratives; and an ecosystem framework codifies interactions between incarcerated people, staff, visitors, and local service providers. The organization runs an active EU-funded project portfolio including RESIZE (correctional staff competencies, 4-year, 24 partners), FRAME (monitoring framework, 2-year), WOMEN (incarcerated women, 1-year), and BRIDGE (young adults 18-25, 1-year), with co-funding from the European Union via Erasmus+ and European Commission programs.
The business model is non-commercial: revenue is generated through EU project co-funding, membership contributions from national member organizations across 17 European countries, and donations accepted via Stripe. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on pan-European networking, annual European Symposia on Detention Houses (Brussels 2024 hosted by the Belgian Senate during the Belgian EU Council Presidency, Tirana 2026), General Assemblies (Malta 2026), Knowledge Workspaces, and Research Community activities. The movement is governed by a six-member board spanning Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal, with operational leadership including Executive Director Helene de Vos, and is currently pursuing ANBI (Public Benefit Organisation) status in the Netherlands.
Rescaled firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rescaled
- Legal name
- RESCALED IVZW
- Website
- https://rescaled.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rescaled is a Belgian non-profit network organization founded in 2019 that advocates across 17 European countries for replacing large prisons with small-scale, community-integrated detention houses, serving policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and people with lived experience in criminal justice reform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rescaled industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Criminal Justice Reform Advocacy
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN)
Keywords
Where Rescaled is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Elsene
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rescaled business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Membership dues and organizational support: RESCALED operates as a European network organization with members in 17 countries. They generate support through membership contributions, donations (accepting Stripe donations), and organizational partnerships.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Rescaled product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RESCALED is a European non-profit network organization that advocates for replacing large prisons with "detention houses" that are small-scale, differentiated, and community-integrated. It delivers this through pan-European advocacy, research publications, annual symposia and General Assemblies, knowledge platforms, and EU-funded multi-country projects (RESIZE, FRAME, WOMEN, BRIDGE, INSPIRE, WISH EU). The organization does not sell commercial products or services; its outputs are funded by EU grants, member contributions, and donations and are aimed at policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and civil society in 17 European countries.
Product overview
RESCALED is a European network organization (IVZW) that challenges the concept of 'prison' and promotes 'detention houses' instead — small-scale, differentiated, and community-integrated facilities. The organization's core digital presence is the RESCALED Website (rescaled.org), which serves as the main hub for movement activities. Supporting this are specialized platforms including the Inspirational Practices Database (rescaled-inspire.org) for cataloging facility examples, and the Let's Talk RESCALED Podcast for knowledge dissemination. The organization also manages multiple EU-funded projects including RESIZE (correctional competencies training), FRAME (monitoring framework), WOMEN (incarcerated women support), and BRIDGE (young adults detention). These projects collectively advance RESCALED's mission of replacing large-scale prison institutions with humane, community-integrated alternatives across Europe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RESCALED Website (rescaled.org) Main website and digital hub of the RESCALED movement, providing information about the organization, its mission, projects, publications, news, and resources on detention houses for policymakers, practitioners, and civil society across Europe.
- Inspirational Practices Database (rescaled-inspire.org) Searchable online database showcasing 80+ examples of small-scale, differentiated and community-integrated detention facilities across Europe, categorized by facility type, location, management, target groups, and underlying principles.
- Let's Talk RESCALED Podcast Podcast series exploring justice reform topics, detention houses, and the RESCALED movement through conversations with practitioners, policymakers, and people with lived experience, distributed via Buzzsprout and Spotify.
Quantifiable outcome
- Research from Norwegian prisons shows both incarcerated people and staff experience better quality of life in small-scale facilities, linked to increased chance of successful return to society
Companies that use Rescaled
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Rescaled technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Rescaled partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- FRAME Project (Frame for Realising, Assessing and Monitoring Small-Scale Detention in Europe)coreCo-organised the 2026 European Symposium on Detention Houses with the FRAME project. FRAME is a two-year European project that strengthens how small-scale detention is assessed, implemented, and embedded across Europe. Consortium includes RESCALED, Antigone Association (Italy), Irish Penal Reform Trust, and Penal Reform International.
- Restorative Justice Nederland (Netherlands)coreCore team member of the BRIDGE project (Building Responsibility & Inclusion through Detention houses for youngsters to support Growth & Education). Dutch organization dedicated to restorative justice approaches.
- Richtungswechsel AT (Austria)coreCore team member of the BRIDGE project. Austrian organization contributing to youth justice reform and detention house implementation.
- VZW De Huizen (Belgium)minorSupporting organization for the BRIDGE project, providing expertise on detention house implementation for young adults.
- CPIP Romania (Centrul Pentru Promovarea Invatarii Permanente)coreProject leader of the RESIZE project (Reshaping Correctional Competencies through RESCALED Innovation). Four-year European collaboration united with 24 partners to address evolving needs of staff within the correctional ecosystem.
- Rubikon Centre (Czech Republic)corePartner in the WOMEN project (Workspace for Mapping, Engaging, and Networking with Incarcerated Women). Czech NGO that helps individuals move beyond their criminal past. Also focuses actively on working with people with lived experience across their staff and activities.
- Silta (Finland)corePartner in the WOMEN project. Finnish non-profit organization dedicated to increasing societal equality, participation, and welfare.
- Belgian Senate and Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2024majorHost and supporter of the 2024 European Symposium on Detention Houses. The Belgian Presidency put detention houses on the European agenda, providing a platform for meaningful dialogue in Brussels.
- National offices and member organizations (17 countries)coreRESCALED operates as a European network with members in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Kosovo, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania and Spain. In each country, different national offices, members and partner organisations support the implementation of detention houses in their own way.
- SILEO (Netherlands)coreDutch organization led by individuals with lived experience committed to driving systemic change in the justice system.
- Bonjo (Netherlands)coreDutch organization led by individuals with lived experience working to drive systemic justice reform.
- Angelus Custos (Croatia)coreCroatian organization focused on justice reform, with lived experience-led initiatives.
- WayBack (Norway)coreNorwegian organization led by individuals with lived experience working on systemic change in justice.
- Village of Hope / Lootusekula (Estonia)coreEstonian organization focused on supporting individuals and communities affected by the justice system.
- RISe Foundation (Malta)majorFounding member of RESCALED and host of the 2026 General Assembly in Malta. Key national partner for the movement.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rescaled competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Prison Reform Trust: UK independent charity advocating for prison reform and reduced reoffending. Comparable advocacy and research model to RESCALED, but national in scope rather than pan-European.
- Howard League for Penal Reform: One of the oldest penal reform NGOs in the UK. Comparable because it conducts research, policy advocacy, and convening on prison reform, but operates within a single national jurisdiction and broader criminal-justice portfolio than RESCALED.
Direct peers
- EuroPris (European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services): European network of prison and correctional administrations that exchanges knowledge and standards across Member States. Directly comparable to RESCALED's cross-border convening role, although EuroPris is more institutionally focused on prison administrations.
- Penal Reform International: London-based international NGO working on penal reform worldwide. It is the most direct peer because it also operates a pan-European advocacy and policy network promoting humane, rights-based criminal justice systems and is a named RESCALED consortium partner on the FRAME project.
- Restorative Justice Nederland: Dutch organization dedicated to restorative justice approaches. It is a core BRIDGE-project partner of RESCALED and shares the same focus on restorative, community-integrated alternatives to traditional incarceration.
- Irish Penal Reform Trust: Ireland's leading penal reform NGO and named RESCALED consortium partner on the FRAME project. Comparable as a national advocacy organization aligned with RESCALED's small-scale, community-integrated detention principles.
- Antigone Association: Italian penal reform NGO and named RESCALED consortium partner on the FRAME project. Comparable because it operates both as an advocacy organization and as a monitoring body producing empirical data on Italian detention conditions.
- CEP (Confederation of European Probation): European umbrella body for probation services focused on community-based sanctions and reintegration. Comparable to RESCALED because both push alternatives to detention and share a European network model targeting justice policymakers.
Regional players
- Fair Trials International: Europe-headquartered criminal justice watchdog focused on fair trial rights. Comparable as a pan-European NGO with policy advocacy toward EU institutions and Member States, but its remit is broader than detention reform.
Emerging players
- Centre for Justice Innovation: UK charity that designs and tests innovative justice interventions. Comparable because it combines pilot design, evidence generation, and policy advisory work in criminal justice, overlapping with RESCALED's Knowledge Workspaces and Inspirational Practices database.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rescaled social profiles
Digital presenceRescaled financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rescaled leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Rescaled funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rescaled 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 Rescaled
What does Rescaled do?
RESCALED is a European non-profit network organization that advocates for replacing large prisons with "detention houses" that are small-scale, differentiated, and community-integrated. It delivers this through pan-European advocacy, research publications, annual symposia and General Assemblies, knowledge platforms, and EU-funded multi-country projects (RESIZE, FRAME, WOMEN, BRIDGE, INSPIRE, WISH EU). The organization does not sell commercial products or services; its outputs are funded by EU grants, member contributions, and donations and are aimed at policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and civil society in 17 European countries.
Is Rescaled a public or private company?
Rescaled is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Rescaled founded?
Rescaled was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rescaled based?
Rescaled is headquartered in Elsene, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Rescaled make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership dues and organizational support.
Who are Rescaled's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Prison Reform Trust and Howard League for Penal Reform. Direct peers are EuroPris (European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services), Penal Reform International, Restorative Justice Nederland, Irish Penal Reform Trust, Antigone Association and CEP (Confederation of European Probation). Fair Trials International is listed as a regional player. Centre for Justice Innovation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Rescaled have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rescaled.
What industry is Rescaled in?
Rescaled's product category is Criminal Justice Reform Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAN, Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8300.