Research and practitioners’ experiences provide insight into building capacity for working with violent extremists and meeting their specialized needs.
The United States has experienced a significant increase in individuals who have radicalized to crime and violence in support of domestic terrorism.[1] These individuals range from those caught up in the moment and criminal opportunists, to those who have meticulously planned and carried out violent acts.
Successful rehabilitation and reintegration of radicalized incarcerated individuals has challenged probation and parole agencies, practitioners, and communities. Their criminal acts were motivated by radicalization, and thus the underlying causes of their radicalization must be addressed to prevent recidivism. However, practitioners and communities often have limited training and guidance on working with these individuals and meeting their specialized needs.
This article aims to overcome these gaps in the current system by offering a full continuum of holistic, evidence-based strategies intended to foster the successful rehabilitation and reintegration of violent extremists into society.