Skip to content

Disengagement vs Deradicalisation

Definition

Disengagement: ceasing to participate in extremist activity without necessarily changing underlying beliefs. Deradicalisation: changing the beliefs and identity constructs that motivated extremism. Research (Horgan, Speckhard) consistently finds disengagement more achievable; effective programmes provide alternative identity pathways and practical support rather than direct ideological challenge.

Related terms

BNS § 113 and UAPA
BNS 2023 § 113 creates the general criminal offence of terrorist act in India. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 (as amended...
Channel Programme (UK)
The referral and multi-agency assessment pathway within UK Prevent. Any public-sector professional can refer an individual; a Channel panel assesses vulnerability and...
Leakage
Intentional or unintentional communication of intent to commit violence to a third party. One of TRAP-18's eight proximal warning behaviours and the...
McCauley-Moskalenko Two-Pyramid Model
Conceptual framework (Friction, 2011) distinguishing the opinion pyramid (distribution of extreme views) from the action pyramid (distribution of extremist behaviour). The two...
TRAP-18 (Terrorist Radicalisation Assessment Protocol)
18-indicator structured professional judgement instrument by Reid Meloy, Roshdi, Guldimann and Hoffmann (2014). Distinguishes 8 proximal warning behaviours (leakage, pathway, fixation, novel...
VERA-2R (Violent Extremism Risk Assessment)
Structured professional judgement instrument by Elaine Pressman and John Flockton (2010, revised) for known extremist individuals in contact with the justice or...

Explained in

Your journey to becoming a forensic professional starts here.

Practice with mock tests, learn from structured notes, and get your questions answered by a global forensic community, all in one place.