CONFERENCE ON TACKLING EXTREMISM: DE-RADICALISATION AND DISENGAGEMENT Copenhagen 8-9 May 2012 The Role of Frontline Workers
The vision of Violence Prevention Network Enable young people who are arrested for ideologically motivated acts of violence to live a responsible and nonviolent life and to develop distance to inhuman ideologies. Change Behaviour. Reduce Recidivism. Prevent Victims.
Target Groups of the Programme Violent juvenile offenders with biasmotivation inclined towards radical Islam Violent juvenile offenders with bias-motivation inclined towards rightwing extremist ideology
Taking Responsibility Breaking Away from Hate and Violence The Concept Basic assumption 1. Non-violent behaviour requires certain core competences 2. Each individual is capable to develop these competences Change in behaviour is possible Strategy Developing - Relationship skills - Empathy - Self-esteem - Responsibility - Ability to self-reflect about... Aim Reducing violent radicalisation and offences Reducing recidivism rates Enable to take responsibility Dissociation from inhuman and anti-democratic hate-ideologies and actions Set-up 4 6 months of group training programme in prison (voluntary basis), max. 8 participants 6 12 months of post-release Stabilisation Coaching (voluntary basis), integration of relatives
Education of responsibility* People can change. No change in behaviour without the capacity for empathy. Gaining insights rather than conditioning. Act of violence and its legitimisation are equally relevant. The trainer is more important than the approach. *Verantwortungspädagogik
The trainers Come from different areas Get a one year instruction in education of responsibility Consisting in: Narrative biographical dialogue (questioning of family-structure) Questioning of self-perception and ideological justification Critical analysis of the offence
Ex-offenders as (co-)trainers Street credibility Religious or ideological corrective Narratives from the front Proof of success of the programme
Challenges and Barriers for first-line practitioners Success in building trust and a relationship to the individual Getting access to families or other important persons Sowing doubt and questioning the ideological justification
Impact factors during the programme Build stable relationships Develop personal independence (group-work approach) Emotional impulse turns into language (through Story- Telling) Trust the other members and the trainers Express a different view Build emotional memory
Contact Judy Korn, CEO judy.korn@violence-prevention-network.de Violence Prevention Network Alt-Moabit 73 10555 Berlin Germany +49 30 91705464 www.violence-prevention-network.de
Backup
Violence Prevention Network s success 90 104 100 72 70 40 40 48 40 45 Programme participants 32 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Recidivism rate Rate of imprisonment for another violent offence: 13,3 %, rate of imprisonment after release in general: 17,6 %. (for comparison: ø rate of imprisonment after release: 45,1 %) Prisons In 2011, 11 prisons in 10 federal states participated in the programme offering it to their inmates. Over 600 participants have completed the training programme between 2001 und 2011. Drop-out-rate The drop-out-rate is below 2 %. Financial costs Costs for imprisonment after re-offending (two years youth jail) > 73.000 Euro Costs/participant in the programme including Evaluation and Administration (2011) < 8.500 Euro
Violence Prevention Network Training + Coaching QC + Evaluation Advanced Vocational Training International Cooperation
Approach Set-up Approach and Set-up Step 1: Participation in training programme in prison (voluntary basis) Step 2: Post-release Stabilisation Coaching (voluntary basis) 4-6 months (115 h) of training in prison Group Size: max. 8 participants Group sessions supplemented by one-onone interviews Release preparation: integration of relatives Duration: 6-12 months Identical trainers as in prison Regular meetings Regular phone consultancy, 24-hour attainability Integration of relatives Establishing stable relationships Desisting from violent behaviour Respectful approach - Non-degrading methods Individual biographical interviews (life history/family issues) Critical analysis of the offence Civic Education of democratic principles Questioning of (ideological) justification 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