Filing a complaint about the NFI

What can you file a complaint about?

You can file a complaint about any action (or lack of action) by the NFI or an NFI employee in a specific situation. If you are a client of the NFI and have a complaint about our services, you can complete the Complaint form. In all other cases, you can follow the procedure described below.

Which complaints will the NFI not handle?

In principle, we will not handle your complaint if:

• A complaint has already been filed, and it was processed according to the rules.
• The behavior you are complaining about occurred more than a year ago before filing the complaint.
• You or someone else could have raised an objection.
• You or someone else could have appealed, unless the complaint concerns the failure to make a timely decision.
• A judge, other than an administrative judge, has ruled or can rule on the behavior you are complaining about.
• There is an ongoing criminal investigation concerning the behavior you are complaining about, or the behavior is part of a criminal investigation (investigation and/or prosecution).

Regarding the last point, this means that we cannot process a complaint about a report prepared by NFI experts for an ongoing criminal investigation. If the criminal investigation has concluded with a final decision by the criminal court, and your complaint concerns (the creation or content of) a report in the criminal proceedings, we will generally not handle the complaint. In that case, the appropriate procedure is the review procedure as defined in the Dutch Code of Criminal Procedure (Book III, Title VIII).

Finally, we will not process your complaint if we believe that your interest in the complaint or the weight of the behavior you are complaining about is clearly insufficient.

If we decide not to handle your complaint, you will receive written notification within four weeks.

How and where can you file a complaint?

You must file your complaint in writing to the NFI. Complaints can also be filed orally, but to avoid misunderstandings, it is preferable to do so in writing.
To ensure your complaint is processed properly, please include at least the following information:

• Your name, address, phone number, and signature
• The date you are filing the complaint
• The NFI employee, Division, or Team the complaint concerns
• A clear and concise description of the behavior you are complaining about
• The reason for your complaint

You can send your letter to:
Nederlands Forensisch Instituut
Attn: Directorate Secretariat
P.O. Box 24044
2490 AA The Hague

If you prefer to file your complaint by email, you can send it to: klachtencoordinator@nfi.nl

What is the process?

Within two weeks of receiving your complaint, you will receive a written confirmation from us. The NFI complaint coordinator will assess whether all conditions for processing your complaint are met.

If we determine that your complaint cannot be processed, you will be notified as soon as possible. If your complaint belongs with another government organization, such as the police or the Public Prosecution Service, we will forward your letter to that organization. You will be notified of this as well.

If your complaint is accepted, the NFI complaint coordinator will first investigate whether the complaint can be resolved "informally." This means that the possibility of resolving the complaint to your satisfaction, preferably by phone, will be explored.

If informal resolution is not possible for any reason, the complaint coordinator and/or a complaint handler at the NFI will process the complaint formally. In short, this means the following:

• The employee involved in the complaint will be informed about the complaint and given the opportunity to respond. You will receive their written response as soon as possible.
• You will be given the chance to explain your complaint and respond to the employee's reaction, preferably by phone.
• If necessary, the complaint handler will gather additional information to assess the complaint.
• The General Director of the NFI will ultimately decide whether your complaint is justified or not. You will receive a written and reasoned response.

We aim to process and resolve your complaint within six weeks of receiving it. If this is not possible for any reason, we may extend this period by four weeks. You will be notified in writing if this happens.

Finally, we emphasize that your complaint will always be handled by an employee who has had no involvement in the behavior you are complaining about.

Not satisfied with how your complaint was handled?

If you are not satisfied with how we handled your complaint, you can file a complaint with the National Ombudsman within one year. This can be done online using a complaint form or by letter. To access the complaint form, visit the National Ombudsman’s website.

You can send your complaint by letter to:
The National Ombudsman
Reply Number 10870
2501 WB The Hague