Detention and Reintegration Working Group

Transcription

1 Detention and Reintegration Working Group Workshop on Education, Life Skill Courses and Vocational Training for Incarcerated Violent Extremist Offenders 7-8 October 2015 Nairobi, Kenya Overview Co-Chairs Summary On 7-8 October 2015, the government of Kenya hosted the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) Detention and Reintegration Working Group s (DRWG) Workshop on Education, Life Skill Courses and Vocational Training for Incarcerated Violent Extremist Offenders. The workshop was co-chaired by the governments of Australia and Indonesia, and was co-organized by the Global Center on Cooperative Security (Global Center). The workshop concentrated on the design, implementation, and evaluation of cognitive skills programs, basic education courses and vocational training that can be offered to violent extremist offenders (VEOs) during imprisonment, as part of their rehabilitation programming. Presentations and interactive discussions were centered around six main themes, including: the initial assessments of VEOs as a method to comprehend their background and needs in prison, as well as the elements necessary to create a beneficial prison environment that encourages learning and positive progress among terrorist prisoners; the provision of basic education in prison; vocational skills development and employment assistance for VEOs; psychological and spiritual development of VEOs; the role of arts, sports, and culture; and the training, vetting, and monitoring of prison staff and volunteers providing the programs. A total of 60 participants attended the workshop representing 12 countries and 10 organizations. During the opening session, Ms. Josephta Mukobe, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Kenya, delivered remarks on behalf of Minister Nkaissery, expressing the Kenyan government s full commitment to the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, and its willingness to work with like-minded partners, both nationally and internationally. Ms. Mukobe recognized that prisons are highly unsettling environments. They are places of vulnerability in which radicalization to violent extremism can take place. But they can also be incubators for peaceful change and transformation. She stressed the importance of bridging gaps in capacity building and programmatic interventions in the areas of education, life skills and vocational training, ensuring that interventions are based on a holistic evaluation of inmates socio-psychological characteristics. Australian High Commissioner H.E. Mr. John Feakes and Mr. Andy Rachmianto, Director for International Security & Disarmament, Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the rehabilitation and reintegration of terrorism offenders and foreign terrorist fighters is an integral part of a comprehensive counter-terrorism approach. Terrorists are hard to find, time-consuming

2 2 to prosecute, and expensive to incarcerate. Governments apply considerable amounts of resources, time and effort in these areas of counter-terrorism. While inmates are captive to an authority s influence, there is a chance to lead them away from the path of violent extremism and terrorism. This requires seeing prisons not just as punitive institutions, but as a corrective environment that prepares inmates for reintegration. Although success is not guaranteed, the cochairs emphasized that every time we do succeed, we make our communities safer. Summary The following is a thematic summary of the workshop. It is not intended to be a transcript of the proceedings. Panel Discussion 1: Conducting Initial Assessment of the Incarcerated VEOs and Creating a Conducive Learning Environment in Prisons Educational, vocational, and rehabilitation programs have the best chance of succeeding when they are delivered in a safe and well-operated custodial setting where prisoners are treated humanely and engaged constructively. Beyond establishing suitable infrastructure, adhering to legal and procedural frameworks, and delivering appropriate services, speakers from Kenya and the Global Center argued that the most important investment that can be made is in the prison staff. Staff should be well trained and equipped for their duties. Proactive, humane and positive interactions between staff and prisoners can create cognitive dissonance and openings for changes in the thinking and behavior of the VEOs. Inmate assessments are critical for developing and targeting management strategies and interventions. Understanding an individual s motives for engaging with violent extremist groups, causes or ideas helps to target and tailor effective and appropriate responses. Assessments need to consider the individual, their immediate context and the wider prison and social culture to ensure a thorough understanding of the individual s interest or involvement in extremism and where interventions or management strategies may be most effective. It is important to consider whether individuals are engaged or identify with violent extremist groups, causes or ideologies. Some offenders appear to engage for more conventional criminal or opportunistic reasons, such as to make money. Others identify with groups to fulfil more personal needs such as a sense of purpose, belonging and status. The motivations and needs of domestic terrorists may differ from returned foreign fighters. Prisons need to be responsive to these different processes and be able to apply different approaches to create a secure and constructive prison environment. Participants discussed whether to segregate VEOs from the general prison population or disperse them and include them in activities with other inmates. Participants agreed there are benefits and drawback to both approaches: what might work for one prisoner, corrections facility or country, might not work for another. Participants emphasized the need for an individualized, tailored approach. Participants emphasized police officers, medical staff, psychologists, prison guards, civil society members, and other relevant actors must all use and understand the same terms and language when dealing with VEOs to ensure effective assessments and program delivery.

3 3 Panel Discussion 2: Basic (Primary & Secondary) Education Mauritania and the African Prisons Project highlighted the importance of formal education for VEOs as part of their rehabilitation and reintegration process. It provides a tool to help counteract violent extremist thinking and enhance their self-confidence and critical reflection. The education levels of VEOs vary greatly. Many come from marginalized backgrounds. It is important to offer a wide range of educational programs and learning activities for all levels, from basic primary education to advanced concentrations such as university level degrees and legal courses. Courses can include literacy, math, history and civics, but it is important that both the type and the content of courses are based in local culture and practices. They should be tailored to the needs and capabilities of the inmates. Education can be delivered by a range of actors, including government educators and civil society groups. Educators should be carefully recruited, vetted, and monitored to ensure suitable people deliver the courses and appropriate content is discussed. The education gained by VEOs will better prepare detainees for continued schooling and job opportunities. Inmates with an aptitude for learning can become teachers or teacher s aids and may help their fellow inmates with their education. Learning from peers was also seen as a way to help inmates develop their social skills. Participants stressed the need to follow up with VEOs once they are released from prison and reintegrated back into the community to ensure offenders do not return to negative habits. Prison system should motivate and support inmates to continue their education and identify job opportunities once released. Participants cited the need for improved and continuous education of staff to help improve the prison environment. Key areas for staff training included dynamic security, positive treatment of VEOs, and information-gathering and sharing. Panel Discussion 3: Vocational Skills and Employment Assistance Nigeria, Uganda and the African Union s African Centre for the Study of Research & Terrorism presented on the short- and long-term benefits of vocational training for VEOs. A common practice is to have new prisoners go through an evaluation period where they are introduced to a range of vocational activities, allowing for the identification of a skill that fits their talents and interests. Prison should provide inmates with a range of opportunities to gain experience working in occupations such as metal working, farming, painting, tailoring, upholstery, hand crafts, and performing arts. In some prisons, goods produced by inmates in fields such as carpentry, iron welding/construction, jewelry and pottery, are sold to the government or local communities. In the short term, learning vocational skills provide VEOs with a structured environment and sense of purpose. The long-term benefit is a skill set that allows released individuals to secure employment, earn a living, provide for their family and contribute to society in a positive way. The necessity to identify and provide jobs to former detainees was a key topic during the discussion. Participants noted the risk that a lack of job opportunities would discourage released VEOs, some of who might fail to reintegrate. One way to mitigate this risk is to ensure prisoners attain practical competences and marketable skills, and that governments incentivize the hiring of former prisoners. Participants discussed the importance of recognizing achievements in

4 4 vocational and educational programs. Certification and award ceremonies are simple ways to acknowledge success and help VEOs feel empowered. Participants considered the question of how to involve pre-trail/remand detainees in these vocational skills programs. Panel Discussion 4: Psychological Development and Spiritual Wellbeing The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, Senegal, and Saudi Arabia shared their experiences in supporting the psychological and spiritual development of VEOs. They re-emphasized the importance of an initial individual assessment and background exploration in order to identify specific psychological issues, religious misinterpretations. Psychological issues range from a lack of self-confidence, underdeveloped self-reflection skills, or social problems to more severe mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Trained psychologists and social workers play a vital role in addressing these issues, developing cognitive skills, and making the VEO more resilient to violent extremist influences. It is important that all prison staff have at least a basic understanding of these psychological needs. Appropriately trained, vetted, and monitored religious scholars play a vital role in engaging prisoners in dialogue to raise doubts about their views on the acceptable use of violence. Presenters emphasized the importance of retaining and strengthening links with the VEOs families and communities during their incarceration. These links help reinforce positive influences and ensure stakeholders work together towards a positive reentry of the prisoner. The discussion emphasized the role that the religious leaders play in the shaping of VEO s beliefs, with many countries explaining the ways in which they enlist the help of prominent religious leaders to help correct misinterpretations of holy texts. Once reintegrated into society, some former detainees can be supported to spread the new constructive teachings throughout their community to prevent others from making the same mistake. Panel Discussion 5: Sports, Arts, and Culture Kenya and the Youth Arts, Development & Entrepreneurship Network East Africa emphasized that sports, arts, and culture play a major role in prison life: they provide inmates with (physical) ways of expressing themselves, increase their confidence, and help them create positive relationship with others (including prison staff). They help develop a greater understanding of different cultures and practices. These types of activates assist in the assessment of the needs, feelings and attitudes of VEOs for the purpose of rehabilitation programming and targeted interventions. The speakers provided examples of VEOs displaying teamwork and brotherhood through sports and arts. They highlighted the self-discovery and confidence-building among young violent extremist detainees engaged in competitive and/or cultural events. It is important these activities take place in a safe and secure environment, and do not create a rift between groups and individuals. Sports training and competitions included football, volleyball and table tennis, whilst arts and culture activities incorporated drawing (including drawing murals on the prison walls), singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, and participating in a variety of religious and cultural ceremonies.

5 5 Participants considered whether sports, arts, and cultural programs are beneficial in and of themselves, or whether they should be designed to have a clear rehabilitation objective. For instance, prison staff can be trained beyond their primary security task to become facilitators of and sometimes even active participants in these activities, which creates better relationships with prisoners and allows officers to examine prisoner behavior up close. Panel Discussion 6: Training, Vetting, and Monitoring Staff & Volunteers The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development s Security Sector Program highlighted the central role that prison staff and external stakeholders play in creating a safe and positive detention environment, as well as facilitating the delivery of educational courses, vocational training, and sports, arts, and cultures programs. Appropriate vetting procedures for staff and volunteers are vital in ensuring that malign influences are not allowed into the prison system. Monitoring and evaluation needs to be in place to ensure that interactions and treatment are positive. Prison officers can benefit from further guidance on addressing inmate demeanors and becoming resilient to violent extremist ideologies and manipulations. Investments should be made in the implementation of effective case management and information sharing systems that enable staff to catalogue their observations and follow prisoners after they get transferred to another facility or move to the supervision of different officers. Discussions focused on how to measure progress and recognize achievements as a result of investments in staff and volunteer training. Participants were clear that these are long-term ventures and results need to be measured over time. It is important that training and vetting programs for staff and volunteers are evidence-based, tailored, well-resourced, and flexible to respond to new developments. Kamiti Maximum Security Prison Visit The Kenyan government generously provided workshop participants with a tour of the prison industries at the Kamiti Maximum Security prison in Nairobi. Participants witnessed detainees involved in iron work, tailoring and carpentry, as well as participating in educational programs, including a university-level law course. Wrap Up The co-chairs concluded: 1) Educational, vocational, and sports, arts and culture programs provide VEOs with structure and purpose and equip them with skills and knowledge to begin a new, positive life after release. 2) Individual assessments upon entry and throughout time in prison are important in order to create a better understanding of the VEO s background, needs and capabilities, and develop and tailor interventions and rehabilitation programs. 3) There is a need to invest in prison staff training to better manage VEOs and identify, monitor, and address violent extremist radicalization within the prison system;

6 6 4) Investments need to be made to continue detainee support, particularly in education, job placements, and psychological counseling, on their reintegration into the community. Several of the recommendations of this workshop, and the other workshops in this series of DRWG activities, will be used in the training program that the Global Center is developing in close partnership with the Governments of Australia, Indonesia and future partner countries. The three-day training program will help equip prison officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to manage terrorist prisoners and prevent radicalization to violent extremism in the prison system. The main aims are to discuss with prison officials the challenges they encounter in working with terrorist prisoners, exchange experiences on what works and what does not work in managing these offenders and identifying and addressing violent extremist radicalization, and assist in the development of structured management and intervention strategies. The package has an innovative design that includes mentor training, vertical delivery involving decision makers as well as practitioners, and follow-up support to help with implementation.