R2PRIS Multi-level In-prison Radicalisation Prevention Approach

BSAFE LAB University of Beira Interior

The BSAFE LAB Law Enforcement, Justice and Public Safety Lab of the Beira Interior University (public, Portugal) together with IPS Innovative Prison Systems (private) is in consortium with the Romanian Centre for Correctional Studies of the University of West Timisoara (Romania), the Belgian Prison Service, the Norwegian Prison Service, the Romanian Prison Service, the Turkish Prison Service, International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) and the European Organisation of Prisons and Correctional Services (EuroPris), and the associated partners are the Portuguese Prison Service and the Swiss Federal Penitentiary Training Centre.

Type of Organisation: Other

The project was developed under the European Commission project 'Radicalisation prevention in prisons' (R2PRIS), following concerted transnational cooperation across academia, private sector researchers, correctional sector representatives and practitioners.

The R2PRIS Multi-level In-prison Radicalisation Prevention Approach aims to:

• create awareness of:
  • the broader picture of terrorism, the mindset involved and narratives employed — this will help us understand why prisons are a breeding ground for radicalisation;
  • the difference between conversion, radicalisation and moving to extremist views (i.e. the terminology involved);
  • the pathways and levels of radicalisation;
  • recruitment tactics employed within the prison environment;
  • indicators on how to identify vulnerable people at risk of radicalisation;
• provide instruments to help staff screen and assess inmates and report their observations to the appropriate staff throughout the organisation, as well as to the appropriate intelligence staff;
• certify professionals at different levels of the prison administration (prison governors, frontline officers and technical staff, internal trainers and facilitators) in use of the tools that will enable them to identify risks, and screen and assess inmates that may be at risk of becoming radicalised, but also to train other colleagues in the use of these tools.

The R2PRIS approach includes both screening and risk assessment tools, as well as training materials (online and classroom) tailored for different levels of staff.

The R2PRIS approach includes both assessment tools and training materials (online and classroom) tailored for different levels of staff.

1. Assessment tools

The R2PRIS Radicalisation Risk Assessment in Prisons (RRAP) is an assessment process that includes a battery of instruments aiming to provide a broad assessment of inmates’ vulnerabilities and risk of radicalisation. It forms part of the R2PRIS Multi-level In-prison Radicalisation Prevention approach, which also includes the Critical Incidents Readiness Assessment (CIRA). Comprising three different instruments that assess the perception of three diverse audiences (prison governors/administrators, frontline staff, and technical staff), the RRAP Toolset aims to assist both individuals and prison systems in thoughtful consideration of the factors and necessary steps, so as to provide thorough, well-considered opinions on the potential risk of future physical, radical-based violence from a known individual.

• The first RRAP tool is the Helicopter View (HV) (prison/prison administration level), an organisational risk assessment tool that aims to raise awareness and support prison governors/prison system administrators to reflect and assess situational dimensions in preventing radicalisation, and to identify the strategies and action plans that need to be implemented.
• The second tool, the Frontline Behavioural Observation Guidelines (FBOG) (frontline level) is an instrument developed to raise awareness of radicalisation in prisons and to support frontline staff (prison officers, educators, teachers, social workers, etc.) in signalling behaviours/changes in behaviours that might represent the externalisation of cognitive radicalisation in inmates.
• The third tool, Individual Radicalisation Screening (IRS), is for technical staff, mainly psychologists or staff undergoing training to use psychological assessments. The IRS aims to assess inmates’ risk of radicalisation, following a process view of radicalisation that progresses from individual vulnerabilities that might be present at the pre-radicalisation stage, to more extreme involvement (militancy) with radical groups.
• Additionally, the Critical Incidents Readiness Assessment Readiness Assessment (CIRA) is an organisational risk assessment tool that aims to raise awareness and assess service readiness to contend with major security emergencies.

The R2PRIS approach and assessment tools have been developed to be used with inmates suspected of being vulnerable or on a radicalisation path, not those convicted of extremism-related violence or terrorism crimes or for being part of a terrorist organisation.

2. Training

Use of the R2PRIS RRAP tools requires a 'training of trainers' certification process. The certification process consists of online and classroom training and follow-up coaching sessions after employing the tools.

To support their work, certified professionals will have access to:

• the R2PRIS methodological framework
• training session materials (facilitator kit with training templates, manuals and presentations)
• R2PRIS tools (includes the user manual for each tool, response forms and result report sheets)
• online resources and the complete R2PRIS online training course.

The online course was developed through an interactive process and resulted in concerted transnational cooperation across academia, private sector research, correctional sector representatives and practitioners. The course was piloted in Portugal, Belgium, Romania, Norway and Turkey and was improved following user practitioners' feedback.

Address

BSAFE LAB University of Beira Interior
Rua Marquês de Ávila e Bolama
6201-001 Covilhã
Portugal

IPS Innovative Prison Systems (QUALIFY JUST, Ltd)
Contact person: Pedro das Neves
Telephone: (+35) 193 961 9873
Email | Website

BSAFE LAB University of Beira Interior
Contact person: Prof. Nuno Garcia
Website