What are best practices for supervising people with extremist pasts?

Creating a Handbook for Managing the Exit of Incarcerated Violent Extremists

So What?

Federally incarcerated individuals with convictions connected to violent extremism-related offenses are scheduled for release back into their communities. Such individuals have unique challenges and needs, and the government has not developed a comprehensive plan for managing the reintegration of this population back into communities.

The Administrative Office (AO) is the agency within the judicial branch that provides a broad range of legislative, legal, financial, technology, management, administrative, and program support services to federal courts. The findings from this research on federally incarcerated extremists will help to inform this office when it develops the annual judiciary budget and performs its multitude of other services for the federal court system.

Project Summary

With a goal of minimizing both recidivism in general and reengagement with violent extremism, the researchers’ main objective is to develop a handbook that will be shared with relevant stakeholders involved with the federal and local criminal justice systems.

Purpose/Objectives

This project’s activities will culminate in a handbook about addressing violent extremist offenders throughout each stage of the criminal justice process and emphasize management after their release from correctional facilities.

Methods

To develop the handbook for managing the exit of federally incarcerated extremists to the community, researchers have identified a network of stakeholders and subject matter experts who hold knowledge and work experiences pertinent to the supervision of violent extremists. This includes community corrections officers, supervisors, mental health experts, treatment specialists, social workers/case managers, and reentry navigators. They are also consulting with domestic and international subject matter experts who are familiar with these supervisory practices. The research team will hold working groups and a panel discussion about interim findings and current practices.

Outputs and Impact

• Stakeholder Analysis Report
• Scholar Expert Working Group Report
• Summary of State of Practice Report
• NCITE Panel
• Handbook (written)
• Online Training Modules

	Erin Kearns, Ph.D. University of Nebraska at Omaha Associate Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice College of Public Affairs and Community Service Head of Prevention Research Initiatives at NCITE Expertise: Relationship between public perceptions of terrorism and counterterrorism practices, and the relationship between communities and law enforcement.
	Gaylene Armstrong, Ph.D. University of Nebraska at Omaha Director and Distinguished Professor, School of Criminology & Criminal Justice College of Public Affairs and Community Service Nebraska Collaborative for Violence Intervention and Prevention Co-Director Expertise: Collaborative approaches to community-engaged research encompassing criminal justice agencies, community stakeholders, state legislators, and individuals with lived criminal justice experiences across the U.S
	Zach Hamilton, Ph.D. University of Nebraska at Omaha Professor in the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice College of Public Affairs and Community Service Nebraska Center for Justice Research, Associate Director Expertise: Risk and needs assessment, evidence-based practices, and program efficacy – particularly in correctional populations – at the local, state, and federal levels
	Sadaf Hashimi, Ph.D. University of Nebraska at Omaha Assistant Professor in the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice College of Public Affairs and Community Service TRAC Program Coordinator; VIPR Lab Co-Director Expertise: Social network analysis and various other research designs to uncover patterns of criminal and non-criminal behaviors that relate to co-offending and gang involvement.