The International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC) has conducted and evaluated an action-research in France to develop and implement an intervention and prevention response to radicalisation leading to violence within the Penitentiary Services for Integration and Probation (SPIP) in Lyon, Grenoble, and Nice. This “intervention response” is understood as a set of actions and initiatives implemented at the institutional level to counter radicalisation leading to violence. It involves the identification of people who have been radicalised or are in the process of radicalisation, a reporting procedure both internally and with relevant institutions, and a follow-up process with the radicalised individuals once they have been identified.
To do so ICPC has carried out an 18-month action-research. The action-research was developed experimentally, assessed, and systematized prevention and intervention practices through the development of methodological materials so the DAP can set guidelines to direct the SPIP’s action within the probation system. An action-research methodology involves an active participation of both researchers and actors involved in a change situation whilst simultaneously conducting research. Thus, measures were co-constructed with the actors involved and continuously improved, in order to to achieve optimal quality.