Rehabilitation programme
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Iraq
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Name
Rehabilitation programme |
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Target audience
Islamist insurgents |
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Organisation
United States of America (USA) government |
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Objectives
Reduce the detainee population and counter radicalisation |
Description
This robust rehabilitation programme for inmates was created by the USA in 2007, during the period of military occupation of Iraq. It consisted in an effort of the Task Force 134 (i.e., USA forces unit charged with overseeing detainee operations in Iraq) to reduce the detainee population and counter radicalisation in Iraq as a whole.
This Rehabilitation programme was premised on identifying the hard-core insurgents (i.e., the irreconcilables) and separating them from the rest of the inmates who could be rehabilitated. Anyone who was likely to take up arms because they opposed the new situation in their country, including militant Islamists, was considered irreconcilable, and they were identified by psychologists, teachers, and imams. Once the hard-core militants were isolated, the behaviour of the rest of the insurgent detainees would improve and it would be possible to engage them in a rehabilitation programme.
In particular, this intervention included:
Due to the huge numbers of detainees involved, most sessions occur in groups of no more than ten detainees and individual sessions only occur on an “as needed” basis. Treatment is full day; half religious, half psychological.
The programme is completely voluntary, but detainees are motivated by the potential of accelerated release from detention and amnesty. Therefore, well-behaved inmates who completed the class offered on Islam were considered for release. Inmates who cooperated with the authorities also are entitled to receive family visits or videoconferences with them.
This robust rehabilitation programme for inmates was created by the USA in 2007, during the period of military occupation of Iraq. It consisted in an effort of the Task Force 134 (i.e., USA forces unit charged with overseeing detainee operations in Iraq) to reduce the detainee population and counter radicalisation in Iraq as a whole.
This Rehabilitation programme was premised on identifying the hard-core insurgents (i.e., the irreconcilables) and separating them from the rest of the inmates who could be rehabilitated. Anyone who was likely to take up arms because they opposed the new situation in their country, including militant Islamists, was considered irreconcilable, and they were identified by psychologists, teachers, and imams. Once the hard-core militants were isolated, the behaviour of the rest of the insurgent detainees would improve and it would be possible to engage them in a rehabilitation programme.
In particular, this intervention included:
- Vocational training and Arabic, English, math, science, civics, and geography classes – It sought to persuade detainees to abandon violence by offering them the opportunity to learn new skills so that they could obtain good jobs upon their release;
- Course on Islam that was run by clerics who engaged the detainees in discussions about their religion and promoted a non-violent interpretation of Islam.
Due to the huge numbers of detainees involved, most sessions occur in groups of no more than ten detainees and individual sessions only occur on an “as needed” basis. Treatment is full day; half religious, half psychological.
The programme is completely voluntary, but detainees are motivated by the potential of accelerated release from detention and amnesty. Therefore, well-behaved inmates who completed the class offered on Islam were considered for release. Inmates who cooperated with the authorities also are entitled to receive family visits or videoconferences with them.