Table Of ContentTHINK LIKE A TERRORIST
TO COMBAT TERRORISM
AND RADICALIZATION IN
PRISON
Think Like a Terrorist to Combat Terrorism and Radicalization in Prison provides
guidelines for hardening facilities, training staff, preparing for radicalized-terrorist
inmates’ incarceration, and monitoring these inmates after their release. The book
combines practitioner experience with scholarly insights to offer practical
suggestions bolstered by research. The authors offer suggestions for housing,
programming, security, and staff training with the ultimate goal of keeping
correctional facilities, staff, and other inmates, safe from radicalization and
spreading terrorist doctrines and terrorist acts, which requires examining and
potentially changing prison and correctional officer policies and procedures, hiring
and training suitable staff, and ensuring technology is available.
Correctional facilities can curtail the recruitment and radicalization of inmates
by developing staff training, de-radicalization programs, management methods,
techniques, and practices that address the recruitment issues associated with this
threat. The need for understanding, and the role line correctional officers and
first-line supervisors play in preventing radicalization, is critical in this process. It
is also vital to connect with and maintain communication with appropriate
security and intelligence agencies as needed.
Key Features:
• Outlines common terrorist and extremist activities in prison using
relevant real-world examples
• Instructs on how to detect and recognize such efforts as recruitment and
radicalization and how to curtail and prevent such activity
• Provides guidance on establishing de-radicalization programs within
prison facilities
• Presents recommendations on collecting, analyzing, and disseminating
intelligence to correctional, law-enforcement, and intelligence agencies
on potential terrorist activities and recruitment efforts
THINK LIKE A
TERRORIST TO
COMBAT TERRORISM
AND
RADICALIZATION IN
PRISON
William P. Sturgeon and Francesca Spina
Cover design by Xavaier Bolton.
First edition published 2023
by CRC Press
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
and by CRC Press
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
© 2023 William Sturgeon and Francesca Spina
Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but
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ISBN: 978-1-032-25980-2 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-25979-6 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-28594-6 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003285946
Typeset in Palatino
by MPS Limited, Dehradun
This book is dedicated to the men and women of the criminal justice
family. Thank you for the professionalism, dedication, and courage that
you demonstrate every day in the performance of your duties!
CONTENTS
About the Authors xiii
A Note to the Reader xv
Introduction xvii
1 Extremist-Terrorist Inmates and Others 1
Protests 2
Constitutionality 3
Role of Jails 4
Violence of Extremists 5
It Was Inevitable 8
Right-Wing Extremists versus Terrorists 15
Conclusions 16
2 The Scope of Terrorism 17
The Scope of the Problem 17
The Extent of Prisoner Radicalization 18
Concerns about Radicalization in Prisons 20
Conclusions 21
3 Characteristics of Radicals 23
Radical Base—Who Are They? 23
US Terrorists: Risk Factors 23
Why Does Right-Wing Extremism Appeal? 24
Conclusions 25
4 Terrorist-Extremists versus Criminal Inmates 27
Characteristics of Criminal Inmates 27
What Is Terrorism? 30
Terrorist-Extremists Differ from Other Inmates 32
Conclusions 34
vii
CONTENTS
5 Planning and Implementing Change 35
Policies and Procedures 36
Paper 37
Policy Implications 38
Contents of Emergency Plans 39
Operationally Functional Policies 42
Security Policies and Procedures 43
Transporting Inmates 45
Classification 47
Conclusions 47
6 People in the Matrix 49
Overcoming Language Disadvantages 52
Conclusions 53
7 Places and Technology in the Matrix 55
Hardening Security Throughout 59
Technology, Equipment, and Materials (TEM) 59
Day-to-Day Operations 63
Emergency Operations: Assess-Response-Engage/
Control-Repel/Contain/Recover 63
Assess 63
Response 63
Engage/Control 64
Recovery 65
Tunnels 67
Classification of Terrorist-Extremist Inmates 69
Conclusions 72
8 Staff Recruitment and Training 75
Recruitment for Staff Diversity 75
Why Training Is Crucial 77
Variety of Training 78
Role of the Correctional Officer 79
Get Ready Now 79
Content of Training Programs 80
viii
CONTENTS
Sample Training Curriculum for Correctional
Personnel with Direct Contact with Extremist-
Terrorist Inmates 81
Self-Defense Techniques 83
Training on Customs/Religion 83
Emergency Procedures 83
Conclusions 84
9 Classification, and Other Essentials 85
Classification 85
Inmate Movement—Internal and External 86
Risk Assessment 87
Risk-Assessment Tools 88
Perimeter Security (Internal and External) 89
Monitoring Terrorist-Extremist Inmates 90
Intelligence 90
Visiting 91
Inspecting Outside Visitors 92
Reviewing Materials Entering Prisons 93
Conclusions 94
10 Inmate Programs to Limit Radicalization 95
Conclusion 99
11 Islam, Conversions, Chaplains, and Imams 101
Islam 101
Religious Policies 102
Examples of Prison Converts 102
Inmate Belief Systems 102
Inmates Radicalized in Prison 105
Factors Contributing to Radicalization 107
Need for Personal Meaning and Identity 107
Need for Belonging 108
Perceived Injustices 108
Summary of Causes of Radicalization 109
Prison Chaplains and Imams 109
Religious Conversion 111
Conclusions 111
ix
