Professionals assigned with the task of providing the identification and evaluation of risks for terrorist- and violent extremist behaviour, benefit by using relevant and distinctive evidence based indicators. Throughout the world, the VERA-2R is used in prejudicial, judicial and post-judicial settings.
Intelligence or national security law enforcement professionals can use VERA-2R risk assessments for persons of interest and for prioritizing persons ‘on the radar.’ It can serve to disrupt or deny opportunities to engage in terrorism-defined activities. The VERA-2R can be used in the pre-trial context to inform the court, including defence and prosecution, about the risk of indicted extremists. The VERA-2R is used to inform decision making in pre-trial detention and/or the regime in prison. The VERA-2R risk assessment can help determine whether prisoners are able to be released on parole. In the probation setting the use of VERA-2R risk assessment can be used prior to parole decisions. During parole, conditional release and probation repeated risk assessments are necessary to establish the risk that the persons under supervision will (re)commit violent extremism and terrorist offences.
Proper collaboration and an effective follow-up are crucial both within and across settings. This requires a common understanding of the tool, a shared risk language and adequate risk communication.
Repeated VERA-2R Assessments
The dynamic nature of the process of radicalization to violent extremism necessitates repeated measurements. These are carried out to re-examine the risk status of each indicator and the overall risk of the individual involved over the course of time. It is known that extremists can undergo episodes of personal crisis or experience other triggers, such as geopolitical events. These can increase the risk of violent extremist action. On the other hand, an individual may also become disillusioned and renounce ideological violence.
It is essential that the risk pathway of individuals is tracked through time to determine increasing or decreas¬ing risk trajectories. Risk management strategies should also focus on dynamic indicators in order to stimulate positive development and mitigate case specific risks. The VERA-2R contains many dynamic risk indicators that correspond to such potential changes. Regular and systematic re-assessments are possible due to the dynamic nature of various risk indicators.
False Compliance and Triangulation
Violent extremists and terrorists often deny and camouflage their motives, intentions and acts, withhold information, and may despise the state and professionals. If a professional does not have access to collateral (judicial) information, relying solely on interviewing the subject may lead to a professional 'error'. The access to and evaluation of sufficient objective (judicial) information is therefore essential in the use of the VERA-2R. The VERA-2R can be based on records, files, other documents, monitoring and observations. The information used for the VERA-2R must be weighed in terms of the credibility of the source, and on the correctness, the importance and the appropriateness of the information used for rating the risk indicators. Collateral information from different sources is recommended and will reinforce the reliability of the assessment. The consistent VERA-2R protocol permits consensus risk decisions or judgments.