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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Pericles (Policy recommendation and improved communication tools for law enforcement and security agencies preventing violent radicalisation)

Teaser

Summary

Current developments in Europe have once again shown a need for scientific investigations on processes of radicalisation. The combination of terrorist attacks in European countries, and the observation that currently between 5000 and 6000 people with European citizenship have decided to leave Europe to fight for terror groups in Syria and Iraq, has made clear that the concept and impact of radicalisation in modern times is highly relevant. Nevertheless, the phenomenon is nothing new as political extremist groups have existed all over Europe before 9/11 prior to the rise of ISIS.

Efforts to combat violent radicalisation and violent extremism is a core tenant of the European Union (EU), which was built upon the values of liberal democracy, namely the recognition of universal human rights, equality, tolerance, and freedom. Its member states aim to foster societies in which there is general acceptance and collective pursuit of these values, for the benefit of all citizens. Liberal political and philosophical theory defends such societies on the ground that they both treat people with dignity and respect and enable people to increase their overall wellbeing. Violent extremists actively oppose liberal politics, not only through the use of illegal means- such as murder, violence, destruction, unrest and vandalism- but also through the promotion of hateful ideologies designed to sow discord and spread fear among people while at the same time weakening support for democratic processes.

Therefore, the project Pericles was conceptualised to take part in counter-violent extremism with the broad aim of supporting mutual tolerance, respect, and the maintenance of liberal democracy. To do so, Pericles collaborates with law enforcement agencies and frontline practitioners across the European Union to create a specific set of counter-radicalisation tools that match the needs of the end user. The tools include a cyber-space detection system that detects radical content in virtual communities, an enhanced platform facilitating a more efficient exchange of information between relevant actors, vulnerability assessment tool based on specific risk indicators gathered from vulnerable groups, family care package that provides advice and support to those affected by radicalisation, and an updated skills and competencies tool for frontline staff.

Work performed

The first work package produced multiple quantitative standardised surveys to gather information on European programmes and projects. The task was to create an inventory of current programmes and projects in the field of counter-radicalisation and counter-extremism. Data collected from the surveys were triangulated with a literature review of existing tools and policies regarding the prevention of violent radicalisation in selected member states, and interviews conducted with frontline practitioners. Using both gap analyses and criteria analyses, Pericles has produced the following results:
General results
In place of exploring new prevention tools, it was found that practitioners placed a greater value on enhancing the effectiveness of existing instruments. One key issue apparent within the field of radicalisation research is the lack of proper scientific evaluations being performed on psychometric scales and assessments tools. To a similar extent, a large portion of the knowledge concerning pathways to radicalisation, models and risk factors associated with radicalisation are based more on plausibility than empirical evidence.
Prison and Probation
Addressing the individual competencies of prison staff, particularly prison officers, are needed to reinforce counter-radicalisation efforts. The building of positive relationships between inmates and staff are advantageous for the implementation of de-radicalisation programmes. Through an enhanced inmate-officer relationship, practitioners are better able to build trust and work on the cognitive and emotional dimensions of prevention. Reversely, inmate-officer relationships based on violence and abuse can be counter-effective to de-radicalisation work. It is recommended that prisoners be treated in a humane way, irrespective of what crimes the individual was convicted of. Building the relevant moral and ethical considerations of prison staff are stressed as well as information on how staff attitudes can affect fellow inmates in how they respond to de-radicalisation activities.
It could be found that a countryâ€™s prevention measures was often relative to the population of radicals in their prisons. A learning opportunity is presented here whereby member states with proportionately fewer radicals in prisons can achieve a greater understanding of prevention practices from prisons with higher levels of radicals. An enhanced international cooperation between member states is therefore advised to enable the sharing of best practices and risk assessment tools that have already been proven in use. Member states are advised to focus their attention on strengthening the management and running of correctional facilities as this can aid prevention efforts in prison settings. Overcrowding is one particular challenge that prisons across Europe currently face, France provides the best example, and can be seen as conducive to radicalisation. Lower staff ratios can harbour higher levels of individual strain and fatigue and can hinder the overall delivery of prevention, such as the provision of structured judgements on risk assessments. Moreover, a limited capacity and resources provides a more restrictive setting reducing the quality of supervision and individual support prisoners may need.
Local and Multi-Agency Approach

Final results

The ongoing needs assessment, as part of work package two, will inform the Pericles toolkit how to address the needs of law enforcement agencies in the context of their work on the prevention of radicalisation and terrorism. The needs assessment produces a quantitative needs assessment of staff amongst LEAs throughout Europe, specifically focused upon their needs around the subject of radicalisation, and detailed case studies on individuals convicted of terrorism related offences and former radicals in order to shed more light upon the process of radicalisation. Additional interviews with families affected by radicalisation will give a unique insight into the experiences, in particular their experiences of inter-actions with LEAs, and how they believe that other families could best be supported by LEAs. In this way, the case studies will provide a solid scientific foundation for the Pericles toolkit.

Pericles will also provide a unique model of stakeholders, in work package three, and their interactions with each other based on their objectives and approaches when tacking radicalisation scenarios. The purpose of which will promote the concept of a de-radicalisation model. This model will be based on current radicalisation models in social sciences as well as literature on biographies and disengagement success stories alongside results from the survey conducted in Pericles. Providing a model of de-radicalisation will provide an innovative pathway for moving the current research towards practical solutions that can be adopted by security end user for families and for LEAS.