Online radicalization: Profile and risk analysis of individuals convicted of extremist offences

IF 4.6 Q2 MATERIALS SCIENCE, BIOMATERIALS

ACS Applied Bio Materials Pub Date : 2022-05-06 DOI:10.1111/lcrp.12218

Jonathan Kenyon, Jens F. Binder, Christopher Baker-Beall

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引用次数: 5

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores socio-demographic profiles and offence histories of 235 individuals convicted of extremist offences in England and Wales who have shown different levels of Internet engagement in their pathway towards radicalization.

Methods

A comprehensive database of those convicted of extremist offences was developed by reviewing and coding content of specialist Structured Risk Guidance (SRG) and Extremism Risk Guidance (ERG22+) assessment reports, authored by professionals with access to a range of restricted information sources and direct contact with the individual concerned. This enabled a comparison of socio-demographic profiles and offence histories for those who radicalized online, those who radicalized offline and those exposed to both online and offline influences. The analyses further integrated formal risk assessments contained in the reports.

Results

Findings show a comparatively small prevalence of exclusive online radicalization, but some online influence for the majority of all cases. Pronounced variations in the socio-demographic profiles and offence histories for members of each radicalization pathway group were found. In addition, convicted extremists who radicalized online are assessed as having the lowest overall level of engagement with an extremist group or cause, along with the lowest levels of intent and capability to commit violent extremist acts.

Conclusions

Gaining a better understanding of the prevalence of online radicalization, and the profiles associated with it, informs the debate on whether extremist content and activities online influence violent extremist behaviour offline and helps to guide counter-terrorism approaches and future policy in this area.

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网络激进化：被判犯有极端主义罪行的个人简介和风险分析

本研究探讨了英格兰和威尔士235名极端主义罪犯的社会人口特征和犯罪历史，这些人在走向激进化的过程中表现出不同程度的互联网参与。方法通过审查和编码专家结构化风险指南(SRG)和极端主义风险指南(ERG22+)评估报告的内容，建立一个综合的极端主义犯罪罪犯数据库，这些报告由专业人员撰写，可以访问一系列限制信息来源并与有关个人直接接触。这样就可以比较那些在网上激进化的人、在线下激进化的人以及同时受到线上和线下影响的人的社会人口特征和犯罪历史。这些分析进一步综合了报告中所载的正式风险评估。研究结果显示，排外的网络激进化的流行程度相对较小，但大多数情况下都有一些网络影响。每个激进化途径组的成员在社会人口特征和犯罪历史上的显著差异被发现。此外，被定罪的在网上激进化的极端分子被评估为与极端主义团体或事业的总体接触程度最低，实施暴力极端主义行为的意图和能力也最低。更好地了解网上激进化的普遍程度及其相关概况，有助于就网上极端主义内容和活动是否会影响线下的暴力极端主义行为展开辩论，并有助于指导这一领域的反恐方法和未来政策。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

ACS Applied Bio Materials Chemistry-Chemistry (all)

CiteScore

9.40

自引率

2.10%

发文量

464