Research summary
Like many countries, Canada must contend with the threat of violence by individuals who have become radicalized for political, religious or other ideological reasons. Their numbers are small, but their radicalization is associated with multi-level risk factors that have been further fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. To reduce this growing risk, we need effective prevention and intervention programs. However, there is a lack of evidence about the effectiveness and sustainability of such programs.
To address this issue, Dr. Cécile Rousseau, Canada Research Chair in Preventing Violent Radicalization, is evaluating these programs and developing best practice guidelines for federal, provincial and local policies and services. She and her research team are figuring out what makes individuals vulnerable to violent radicalization and how to prevent this from happening. They are also assessing a range of Canadian prevention initiatives and evaluating clinical intervention models. Ultimately, their work will lead to policies and guidelines for prevention and intervention programs.