A successful approach to deradicalisation

“Radicalisation and Violent Extremism – Disengagement, prevention, monitoring”

- Barcelona, 14th October 2015 -

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Who is Violence Prevention Network?

• A network of experts in prevention of extremism and

deradicalisation

• A nationwide operating NGO

• An interface between practice and science

• An organisation appreciated by the federal and regional

governments cross-party

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Mission statement

Enable young people who are

arrested for ideologically

motivated, violent offenses or

terrorist acts

to change their behaviour,

to live a responsible and non-

violent life and

to develop distance to inhuman

ideologies.

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Violence Prevention Network‘s portfolio

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Current projects (October 2015)

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The Method: Education of Responsibility -Verantwortungspädagogik®

Voluntariness

Setting up a dialogue

Building a stable relationsship (the trainer personality is more

relevant than methodogical details)

Building personal independence (group approach)

Gaining insights rather than conditioning

Behaviour and patterns of justification are equally relevant

Setting up an emotional memory (no change of behaviour

without ability for empathy)

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Deradicalisation in prison (AKT®)

Support for parents of islamist inspired radicalised persons

Intention:

Guiding and supporting parents in their communication process with their radicalised children

Preventing the recruitment of vulnerable youths as “holy warriors” or “foreign fighters”

• 4 - 6 months (115 h) of training in prison• Group Size: max. 8 participants• Group sessions supplemented by one-on-

one interviews• Release preparation: integration of

relatives

Step 1: Participation in derad. programme

• Establishing stable relationships• Desisting from violent behaviour• Respectful approach - Non-degrading

methods• Individual biographical interviews (life

history/family issues)• Critical analysis of the offence• Alternative conflict management• Civic Education of democratic principles• Questioning of (ideological) justification

Step 2: Stabilisation Coaching after Release

• Duration: 6-12 months• Identical trainers as in prison• Regular meetings• Regular phone consultancy (24/7)• Integration of relatives

• Transfer of learning-experience (Real-Life-Test)

• Crisis Intervention • Preparation of social re-integration • Establishing stable relationships

outside prison• Structuring daily routines• Integration into job market

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Regional expansion of the programme until 2015

2001 Start of the programme in Brandenburg with bias-motivated juvenile

offenders inclined towards right-wing extremist ideology

2003 Start of Stabilisation Coaching after release

2004 Start of the programme in Sachsen-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-

Vorpommern

2006 Expansion to the target group of bias-motivated juvenile offenders

inclined towards radical Islam

2007 Start of the programme in Hamburg, Berlin, Niedersachsen

2008 Start of the programme in Bremen

2009 Start of the programme in Baden-Württemberg, Sachsen; start of the

programme in the field of youth detention in Brandenburg and Berlin

2010 Start of the programme in Thüringen; start of the international

cooperation with Northern Ireland; start of the programme in the field of

youth detention in Hamburg

2011 The programme takes place in 10 federal states.

2012 Programme starts in prisons with male adults imprisoned because of

terrorist acts.

2014 Start of the programme in Hesse

Partner Penal Institutions 2015

- Wriezen (Brandenburg)

- Berlin

- Hamburg

- Hameln (Lower Saxony)

- Wiesbaden (Hesse)

- Regis-Breitingen (Saxony)

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Participants of Prison trainings – in total

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

20

40

60

80

100

120

Participants total (958)

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

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20

30

40

50

60

70

Participants - right-wing extr. (623)Participants - fundamentalists and islamist extr. (335)

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Re-incarceration rate* of the VPN-participants in comparison

Re-incarceration for a violent felony

Re-incarceration for other offences13,3 %

41,5%

VPN Average

17,6 %

45,1%

VPN Average

Recidivism rate total 52,1 %

75,9%

VPN Average

* comp.: Untersuchung zur Legalbewährung der Teilnehmer an Trainingskursen im Jugendstrafvollzug, Lukas, 2012

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Julia ReineltJulia.Reinelt@violence-prevention-network.de

Violence Prevention NetworkAlt-Moabit 7310555 BerlinGermany

+49 30 917 05 464

www.violence-prevention-network.de

Contact information