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Current Research: Neurocognitive Risk Assessment

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Neurocognitive Risk Assessment for the Early Detection of Violent Extremists

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Abstract

The current research began from the starting point that what we are grappling with when we are dealing with violent extremists by and large is essentially ‘normal people’. What follows in this third major section of this research paper is the theoretical and conceptual search for making researchable the following question: ‘How do you assess someone who is normal?’

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See Fig. 2.4—‘Injustice’ frame of reference for violent extremism.

  2. 2.

    Author is aware of the ongoing ‘brain–mind’ debate in the literature (Ward, 2010). However, this is a tangential philosophical issue in relation to the focus in this chapter.

  3. 3.

    See discussion below on the ‘right conditions’ for neuroplasticity.

  4. 4.

    The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘ideology’ as a set of beliefs characteristic of a social group or an individual. It is a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy, e.g. the ideology of republicanism. Hence, an ideology will contain a ‘mindset’. However, an ideology is a wider system of thoughts, ideas and beliefs than a mindset. An ideology is a system of thought, whereas a mindset represents a direction of thought.

  5. 5.

    The teenage killer has been given the factitious name of ‘Ryan Miller’ since he cannot be named for legal reasons (Guilliatt, 2013, p. 10).

  6. 6.

    These perceptions are not in themselves ‘extreme’ but rather when taken to the limits of normal thinking become extreme in the mind of the individual who subscribes to such perceptions. Similarly, with beliefs, most are not in themselves ‘violent’ although some are. However, when such beliefs form an extremist mindset they are potentially very violent.

  7. 7.

    Refer to first section on risk assessment approaches to violence where SPJs were discussed.

  8. 8.

    Details of case study of Fort Hood killings by Major Nidal Malik Hasan in November 2009 extracted from Carter and Carter (2012).

  9. 9.

    Note of Acknowledgement: I would like to thank my colleague at QUT, Professor Graeme Pettet (School of Mathematical Sciences, Science and Engineering Faculty), who assisted greatly with translating my original conception of the neurocognitive VE model into the 3-D risk/safety surface depicted in Fig. 3.9 and also for assisting the development of the algorithm that operationalises the software known as GRiPe (Geometric Risk indicator Positioning of extremism). GRiPe is a predictive risk assessment tool for use for ‘persons-of-interest’ to police, law enforcement and security agencies to assist in evaluating such persons’ potential for engaging in various types of violent and extreme behaviours.

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    Geoff Dean

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Dean, G. (2014). Current Research: Neurocognitive Risk Assessment. In: Neurocognitive Risk Assessment for the Early Detection of Violent Extremists. SpringerBriefs in Criminology(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06719-3_3

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