Research and Intervention on Violent Extremism (RIVE)
Description
The RIVE programme targeted people already sentenced or awaiting sentencing for a terrorism-related offence or reported for being radicalised who will, at a judge’s request, undergo mentoring (RAN, 2018). APCARS, which specialises in social and judicial supervision, oversaw the programme.
RIVE was implemented alongside the probation service and in an open environment, under judicial decision. Probationers were not volunteers and the programme accommodated all types of violent extremism (e.g., religious, political). The target group were probationers over the age of 18 who have been accused or convicted of terrorist acts, or identified by probation services as radicalised, in the pre- or post-sentencing stage.
In order to ensure the social reintegration of offenders and the achievement of the value of citizenship, interventions at various levels (e.g., social, healthcare, psychological, professional development) were carried out. In order to have a long-term impact upon the probationer, the programme lasted, at least, one year. Then, individualised follow-up session(s) took place, aiming to assess probationers’ progress and other influencing circumstances.
RIVE was composed by a multidisciplinary team that focused on a mentoring approach. This team comprised educators, psychologists, religious counsellor(s), psychiatrist(s) and a criminal lawyer educated to doctorate level. It should be noted that, in this programme, a social worker was responsible for a maximum of five probationers. In addition, RIVE utilised risk assessment tools, such as the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS-CMI) and the Violent Extremist Risk Assessment 2 Revised (VERA-2R), in order to produce a tailored support plan to each individual. Reports were sent by RIVE team to the probation service, which were distributed to the mandatory judge(s). The probationer then signs the document, which becomes a working tool.
The RIVE programme targeted people already sentenced or awaiting sentencing for a terrorism-related offence or reported for being radicalised who will, at a judge’s request, undergo mentoring (RAN, 2018). APCARS, which specialises in social and judicial supervision, oversaw the programme.
RIVE was implemented alongside the probation service and in an open environment, under judicial decision. Probationers were not volunteers and the programme accommodated all types of violent extremism (e.g., religious, political). The target group were probationers over the age of 18 who have been accused or convicted of terrorist acts, or identified by probation services as radicalised, in the pre- or post-sentencing stage.
In order to ensure the social reintegration of offenders and the achievement of the value of citizenship, interventions at various levels (e.g., social, healthcare, psychological, professional development) were carried out. In order to have a long-term impact upon the probationer, the programme lasted, at least, one year. Then, individualised follow-up session(s) took place, aiming to assess probationers’ progress and other influencing circumstances.
RIVE was composed by a multidisciplinary team that focused on a mentoring approach. This team comprised educators, psychologists, religious counsellor(s), psychiatrist(s) and a criminal lawyer educated to doctorate level. It should be noted that, in this programme, a social worker was responsible for a maximum of five probationers. In addition, RIVE utilised risk assessment tools, such as the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS-CMI) and the Violent Extremist Risk Assessment 2 Revised (VERA-2R), in order to produce a tailored support plan to each individual. Reports were sent by RIVE team to the probation service, which were distributed to the mandatory judge(s). The probationer then signs the document, which becomes a working tool.