Perspectives on the German success model in the prevention of extremism

By Thomas Mücke, Niklas von Reischach and Johanna West (Violence Prevention Network)

Abstract

Radicalisation and a willingness to use violence in right-wing extremist and Islamist scenes pose a direct threat to public safety and the status of Germany as a liberal democracy. State intervention through criminal prosecution or surveillance alone is insufficient to ensure long-term disengagement from extremist scenes.

The German model of cooperation is unique on the international stage: civil society expertise is brought together systematically with state security practice. Counsellors in disengagement and exit work provide authentic and low-threshold access and build stable working relationships with clients.

Security authorities enforce the rule of law, perform risk assessment and facilitate access to persons at risk. Close cooperation enables the recognition of risks, targeted interventions and sustainable exits at an early stage – thus preventing criminal offences in the long term, enabling social (re)integration and ensuring the efficient deployment of societal resources.

This Policy Paper advocates for maintaining and further expanding cooperative structures between civil society and state actors in disengagement and exit work. It highlights the opportunities presented by cooperative approaches, identifies the conditions for successful cooperation and presents recommended courses of action for prevention actors and political decision-makers. Building on current successful multi-agency formats and procedures and transferring sustainable structures is particularly important when working with dangerous extremists without intrinsic motivation.

Please download the full version of this Policiy Paper, published within the project dist[ex] – Development of a Network for Disengagement and Exit Work here.