A contemporary insight into Islamist extremist radicalisation and an exploration of the effectiveness of prevention and reformative strategies

The threat of Islamist extremism has become a major concern for many countries, requiring the development and implementation of effective de-radicalisation strategies. The focus of this study is to provide a contemporary insight into the radicalisation process of Islamist extremists and the effectiveness of the Prevent strategy as a de-radicalisation approach. The research methodology involved conducting a survey with 46 Prevent practitioners throughout the UK regions of the Counter Terror Commands. The design of the survey implemented a series of open-ended and closed-ended questions to gather first-hand experiences and insights. This created both qualitative and quantitative elements to the research with respondents being given the opportunity scale questions in order of their perceived importance and then elaborate on their answers with the free-text questions. The results of the study revealed several key themes and identified areas where the Prevent strategy could be improved. Specifically, the results identified prominent demographics of individuals being radicalised, the most significant locations being used to do so and new tactics employed by radicalisers and extremist groups. The study presents key findings regarding the sites of radicalisation and the platforms utilised by Islamist extremist recruiters to engage with and motivate individuals towards terrorism. It is noted that there has been a shift from traditional in-person interactions towards the online space, where new platforms, such as gaming, have emerged as a potential high level threat due to their difficulty to monitor. Recommendations are made to utilise new technologies to stay ahead of young, enterprising individuals. The findings suggest that the Prevent strategy is effective, but better communication is required to highlight successes and to gain the societal approval required due to being a voluntary service. Additional policy and procedural recommendations are made to enhance the program's efficiency and effectiveness. The limitations of this study are that it presented from a Prevent policing practitioner perspective only. Future research should consider surveying individuals who have been referred to the Channel program to provide a rounded perspective. The findings provide key discoveries and valuable information for policymakers and practitioners to assist in combating Islamist extremism and developing effective de-radicalisation strategies.