Imprisoned for Terrorism: The Experiences of Inmates in Roumieh Prison in Lebanon

TY - BOOK

T1 - Imprisoned for Terrorism: The Experiences of Inmates in Roumieh Prison in Lebanon

AU - Larkin, Craig

AU - Basra, Rajan

PY - 2023/6/30

Y1 - 2023/6/30

N2 - This policy paper assesses the impact ofimprisonment and Lebanon’s criminal justicesystem on radicalisation and violent extremism. Inrecent years, the issue of prison radicalisation hasbeen at the forefront of policymakers’ agendas.Concerns focus on the potential for terroristoffenders to recruit, radicalise, or strategiseand how violence may result from their releasefrom custody. Various interventions have beenadopted to attempt to disengage, deradicalise, orrehabilitate violent extremist offenders, thoughthe evidence base for what works is poor.However, what is missing from these efforts isa nuanced understanding of how imprisonmentaffects terrorists – whether convicted offendersor those held on remand. How does imprisonmentaffect their attitudes towards violence and peace?What is their experience of the criminal justicesystem? This paper examines these issues. It isbased on interviews with 38 ex-prisoners fromTripoli, Lebanon, who spent time in RoumiehPrison for terrorism offences. It contains insightsinto how prisoner attitudes and experiences canbe used to inform policy and practice regardinghow extremist offenders are managed.

AB - This policy paper assesses the impact ofimprisonment and Lebanon’s criminal justicesystem on radicalisation and violent extremism. Inrecent years, the issue of prison radicalisation hasbeen at the forefront of policymakers’ agendas.Concerns focus on the potential for terroristoffenders to recruit, radicalise, or strategiseand how violence may result from their releasefrom custody. Various interventions have beenadopted to attempt to disengage, deradicalise, orrehabilitate violent extremist offenders, thoughthe evidence base for what works is poor.However, what is missing from these efforts isa nuanced understanding of how imprisonmentaffects terrorists – whether convicted offendersor those held on remand. How does imprisonmentaffect their attitudes towards violence and peace?What is their experience of the criminal justicesystem? This paper examines these issues. It isbased on interviews with 38 ex-prisoners fromTripoli, Lebanon, who spent time in RoumiehPrison for terrorism offences. It contains insightsinto how prisoner attitudes and experiences canbe used to inform policy and practice regardinghow extremist offenders are managed.

KW - Lebanon

KW - islamists

KW - prisons

M3 - Report

T3 - XCEPT (POLICY BRIEF)

BT - Imprisoned for Terrorism: The Experiences of Inmates in Roumieh Prison in Lebanon

ER -