Using Specialised Prison Units to Manage Violent Extremists
Lessons from Northern Ireland
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5127932 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Michelle Butler (0000-0002-6983-6215, Queen's University Belfast, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 539-557 |
| Publication date | 2020-04-02 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Terrorism and Political Violence (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0954-6553 • E-ISSN: 1556-1836 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/09546553.2017.1388791 |
| OpenAlex | W2755564262 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 15 |
The use of specialised prison units (SPUs) as a means of countering violent extremism and radicalisation is growing in popularity in many jurisdictions. Yet, little is known about their ability to prevent radicalisation in the long term, limit the spread of violent extremism, or promote de-radicalisation and disengagement. This paper begins to explore these issues by reflecting on the over 40 years of experience that Northern Ireland (NI) has had in this area. It is argued that the international community tends to have an incomplete understanding of: a) why SPUs were created and installed in NI; b) how their regime, conditions, and underlying rationale changed over time; and c) the long-term consequences that SPUs have had on the spread of violent extremism, de-radicalisation, and disengagement. This paper seeks to make an original contribution to this literature by highlighting the role psychological, situational, social, and political factors played in shaping the effectiveness of SPUs in NI. By providing a more in-depth analysis of why SPUs in NI entrenched extremism rather than promoted disengagement or de-radicalisation, other jurisdictions will be encouraged to reflect on how these factors may affect the success of their own SPUs in countering violent extremism
Criminology · Disengagement theory · Northern ireland · Political science · Politics · Popularity · Prison · Situational ethics · Sociology · Terrorism · Violent extremism · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Law · Migration, Health and Trauma · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence
Paramilitary Imprisonment in Northern IrelandResistance, Management, and Release
Walking Away from Terrorism
Reintegrating jihadist extremists
Walking away
Addressing violent extremism as public health policy and practice
Limits of tolerance under pressure
Radicalization of U.S. prisoners
Are prisons really schools for terrorism? Challenging the rhetoric on prison radicalization
Tweeting the Jihad
Integration versus Segregation
Criminal Justice Policy Transfer and Prison Counter-Radicalization
No solution
The Northern Ireland Assembly
Approaches for Countering Violent Extremism at Home and Abroad
Thieves, Convicts and the Inmate Culture
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2022 - 2023 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |