Local service provision to counter violent extremism: perspectives, capabilities and challenges arising from an Australian service mapping project

Resilience to Violent Extremism and Terrorism

“…One example would be the UK's CONTEST strategy, with its four pillars of "Pursue" (investigate and disrupt violent extremist criminal behavior through policing, intelligence, and the courts), "Prevent" (social and government programming and referral through schools, clinics, and local council authorities, sometimes in partnership with civil society), "Protect" (safeguarding human, built environment and infrastructure systems), and "Prepare" (mitigation strategies for recovery after a terrorist attack). Another would be Australia's tripartite Living Safe Together strategy, which advocates prevention, diversion, and disengagement through a combination of preventive resilience-building activities focused on social cohesion (community, social, and political systems); diversion through targeted intervention programs managed by government agencies, including police (law enforcement and social service and welfare systems) (Cherney et al, 2018) and the disengagement from and reintegration of convicted violent extremists when possible (legal, social welfare, and informal community systems).…”

Evaluating Case-Managed Approaches to Counter Radicalization and Violent Extremism: An Example of the Proactive Integrated Support Model (PRISM) Intervention

“…However similar to other countries, CVE programs in Australia encompass a broad spectrum of activities beyond the disengagement and reintegration of known extremists. 32 PRISM is a voluntary program that is delivered by a team of psychologists who work in partnership with a religious support officer, Services and Programs officers, allied health professionals, and other agencies identified for involvement in an individual's case assessment and intervention plan. Referrals into the program come from a variety of sources, such as the Correctional Intelligence Group.…”

Pride and prejudice: Exploring how identity processes shape public attitudes towards Australian counter-terrorism measures

“…Secondly, the influence of perceptions of threat towards Muslims in this study reflects wider "mechanisms of social exclusion" (Chiricos et al, 2004, p. 379). This is ironic as one major focus of counter-terrorism in Australia revolves around strategies to boost social inclusion and cohesion (e.g., the Australian Government's Living Safer Together initiative; Cherney, et al, 2018;Harris-Hogan, Barrelle, & Zammit, 2016). Moreover, as such approaches require a wholeof-community approach, positive inter-group interactions are crucial.…”