risk of violent extremism, although it may indicate a higher likelihood of further violent
behaviour.
180
The Extremism Risk Guidelines (ERG22+), developed and used in England and Wales,
assess 22 factors in three main domains (engagement, capacity and capability),
181
including potential changes and the impact of interventions in these three areas. “The
Violent Extremist Risk Assessment (VERA-2)” and its revised version (VERA-2R) used
182
in some countries in Europe, as well as in Australia, Canada, the United States the
South Asian region, looks into 34 risk factors in five domains: “attitudes, beliefs and
ideology”; “social context and intention”, “history, action and capacity”; “commitment and
183
motivation”; “protective/risk-mitigating indicators”. Some jurisdictions have decided to
use assessment tools about general violence, rather than ones specific to VERLT or,
instead, to rely on individual assessments using a variety of different screening tools and/
184
or multidisciplinary direct observations.
It is important to understand that while risk and needs assessments are useful tools, they
are not infallible. They cannot predict who will reoffend or identify who will turn to VERLT
185
in prison with statistical accuracy. A dynamic security approach, staff observations,
professional judgement and experience should complement information obtained through
186
risk and needs assessments.
Risk and needs assessments for specific categories
of prisoners
Specific risk and needs assessment tools for children and women involved in or deemed
“at risk” of VERLT are lacking, and the need has been highlighted to carefully review the
187
relevance of VERA-2R and ERG+22 to these categories of detainees. The different
drivers of radicalization leading to terrorism or violence for women and children, together
180 Van der Heide, van der Zwan & van Leyenhorst, “The Practitioner’s Guide to the Galaxy - A Comparison of
Risk Assessment Tools for Violent Extremism”, op. cit., note 176, p. 5.
181 For more details on these specialized risk assessment tools, see: UNODC, Handbook on the Management
of Violent Extremist Prisoners and the Prevention of Radicalization to Violence in Prisons, op. cit., note 2,
p. 56.
182 For example: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, see: EuroPris
Knowledge Management System, 220719: Radicalisation Risk Assessment; EU-RAN, “Approaches
to Countering Radicalization and Dealing with Violent Extremist and Terrorist Offenders in Prisons and
Probation”, op. cit., note 80, p. 19.
183 European Commission, “Violent Extremism Risk Assessment, Version 2-revised Pressman, Rinne, Duits,
Flockton”, 2016.
184 Latvia, Lithuania, Switzerland; see: https://www.europris.org/epis/kms/?detail=348.
185 For a discussion on the low rates of terrorist recidivism, see: Renard, “Overblown: Exploring the Gap
Between the Fear of Terrorist Recidivism and the Evidence”, op. cit., note 52.
186 UNODC, Handbook on the Management of Violent Extremist Prisoners and the Prevention of Radicalization
to Violence in Prisons, op. cit., note 2, p. 57; Council of Europe, “Council of Europe Handbook”, op. cit.,
note 2, paras. 62-63.
187 Global Center on Cooperative Security and ICCT, “Correcting the Course: Advancing Juvenile Justice
Principles for Children Convicted of Violent Extremism Offenses”, September 2017, p. 11; Global Center
on Cooperative Security & ICCT, “Rehabilitating Juvenile Violent Extremist Offenders in Detention”, op. cit.,
note 47, p. 3; PRI, “Children and Violent Extremism: , op. cit., note 84, p. 11.
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