Negotiating Detention: Insights From Northern Ireland 2nd May 2018 Dr Michelle Butler Queen’s University Belfast

Extremism in prison Different approaches used to manage prisoners deemed to be extremists: Integration Separation (isolation, concentration or dispersal) Specialised prison units (SPUs) used to control interactions and/or facilitate the delivery of de-radicalisation and disengagement programmes. No internationally agreed approach or underlying rationale but commonalities emerging through information-sharing and consultancy. Focus is primarily on the individual as being problematic.

SPUs Whether SPUs are used or not tends to depend on: Previous experience of managing politically motivated individuals Number of people to be managed Capacity, size and skills of prison staff Availability of resources State of prison infrastructure and ability to maintain order The cultural, political and social context Modus operandi of the group and perceived vulnerability of wider prison population to ideology In the SPUs literature, experience of NI is often misunderstood/minimised to a warning about concentration with reduced staff supervision, rather than linked to wider socio-political factors. “…the policy makers were aware that other countries, such as Germany and Ireland, had had negative experiences with concentrating violent extremist prisoners and that such policies had caused a range of security problems in the past. Nevertheless, no measures were taken to prevent such undesirable outcomes, and information about previous experiences with concentration policies were deemed irrelevant.” (Veldhuis, 2016: 181-2)

What can we learn from the experience of NI?

Insights From NI To attribute the difficulties NI experienced solely to concentration fails to recognise the many of these difficulties were occurring before this change and that concentration was partly adopted in response to these difficulties. Events in NI suggest that: SPUs should not be used as ‘quick fix’ solution to wider issues of overcrowding, staffing and governance, as ultimately they do not solve these problems. Decisions about the use of SPUs and their regime can be based more so on short-term goals, achievement of political objectives and/or public sentiment rather than their ability to prevent conflict, promote disengagement and de-radicalisation or resolve underlying causes of conflict.

Insights From NI Recognise that vulnerability to violent extremism is more likely to be due to events occurring within the community and/or how State policies (and/or the behaviour of those enacting these policies) affect minority groups more so than experiences in prison. However, experiences in prison can play a role so: Lessen overcrowding Improve prison design Strengthen staff numbers, training and ability to form ‘right’ relationships Avoid gaps in staff governance and surveillance Provide adequate resources for the prison population Avoid distant, divisive, stereotypical cultures which may lead to unfair treatment and increased vulnerability to extremist ideology. Ensure security is not prioritised at the expense of humane conditions or rehabilitation.

Need To Consider Social & political context Wider prison related factors Psychological characteristics & motivation SPU Impact on public legitimacy and community-relations. Potential to be used to mobilise & justify violent extremism Emphasis on short-term political goals or longer term outcomes Extent to which wider societal factors are also being addressed Size of the prison estate Overcrowding & prison design Staffing levels, training and capacity to provide good governance Equality, fairness &, ‘right’ relationships Adequate resourcing Security balanced with humane conditions & access to programmes Level of commitment to group ideology Individual push and pull factors towards disengagement Extent to which inclusion in ordinary prison population is challenging Ethos and rationale Selection criteria Size and resourcing

Questions. Contact details: Email: michelle. butler@qub. ac Questions? Contact details: Email: michelle.butler@qub.ac.uk Telephone: 0044 2890973956 Twitter: @MichelleBQUB