Previous Article
News
VERA 2R: measuring the likelihood of violent extremist action in prison
Much of the current discourse about prisons and radicalisation is negative. Prisons are often said to have become breeding grounds for radicalisation. They are ‘places of vulnerability’, providing conditions in which radical, religiously framed ideologies can flourish. But prisons are not just a threat – they can play a positive role in tackling problems of radicalisation and terrorism in society as a whole.
To develop effective policies and approaches, understanding of the mechanism of radicalisation is essential. To obtain information on the likelihood of violent extremist action in prison and how to try to intervene case-by-case the Vera instrument was developed by D. Elaine Pressman in 2009. This first edition was revised in 2012 (Pressman and Flockton), after empirical use and feedback from international experts. The most recent version, the VERA 2R (Pressman, Duits, Rinne and Flockton 2016) is supplemented with additional mental health related indicators as well as risk promoting and risk mitigating indicators.
The VERA 2 is the most comprehensive version and includes an assessment of risk and threat elements of the broad spectrum of violent extremists. The tool is relevant for right-wing, left-wing, political separatists, ISIS, Al-Qaeda inspired and other political, social or religious ideological -based violent extremists, those in the process of radicalization to violence and those vulnerable to becoming radicalized.
Elaine Pressman, Ph.D and Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter Terrorism in The Hague: “Systematic and consistent risk assessments provide individualized information on needs, motivations and Ideology required to develop customized interventions. Measurable changes in the risk assessments are able to determine the outcome of these interventions. Targeted intervention is likely to achieve the greatest gains”.
For more information, visit the website of ICCT.
Related News
Keep up to date with the latest developments, stories, and updates on probation from across Europe and beyond. Find relevant news and insights shaping the field today.
New
Mental Health
European Mental Health Week: strengthening probation practice through mental health
13/05/2026
This week, during Mental Health Awareness Week, the Confederation of European Probation is highlighting the importance of mental health in probation practice across Europe.
New
Probation in Europe, Research
Free Research Resource: KrimDok
12/05/2026
Looking for reliable criminological literature? KrimDok is a free online database developed by the University of Tübingen and supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
The database contains nearly 400,000 references to books, journal articles, reports, and other publications covering criminology and related fields such as criminal justice, psychology, sociology, education, and law. It draws on a specialist criminology library established in 1969, with a collection of around 150,000 titles, and includes indexed articles from more than 200 academic journals.
Reading corner
Violent Extremism
New newsletter available: EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of Radicalisation
11/05/2026
The latest edition of the EU Knowledge Hub newsletter brings together policy, research, and practice to address evolving radicalisation threats across Europe.
New
Gender-based violence
New European Master’s Programme on Perpetrator Intervention Launched
07/05/2026
The European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence (WWP EN), in collaboration with Blanquerna – Universitat Ramon Llull (Barcelona), has launched a pioneering new programme:
Lifelong Learning Master’s Degree in Intervention Strategies with Perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence: Social, Clinical, and Legal Perspectives
This initiative represents the first international lifelong learning Master’s programme specifically focused on perpetrator intervention, offering a unique opportunity for professionals working to address and prevent gender-based violence across Europe and beyond.
New
Education and Training
CEP Expert Network on Education and Training Publishes Technical Recommendations on Mentoring in Probation Training
06/05/2026
The Confederation of European Probation (CEP) is pleased to present the Technical Recommendations on Mentoring in the Context of Probation Training, developed through the work of the CEP Expert Network on Education and Training.
This publication is the result of extensive collaborative exchange among 30 experts from 15 European jurisdictions, who convened in March 2025 in Agen, France, at the École Nationale d’Administration Pénitentiaire (ENAP). Bringing together probation directors, middle managers, practitioners, and representatives from training institutions, the network worked collectively to identify shared challenges, exchange practices, and formulate practical recommendations to strengthen mentoring within probation services across Europe.
Probation Journal
Research
What is the societal value of probation?
04/05/2026
During the CEP 15th General Assembly and International Conference on Gender-Based Violence in Probation (from 14 to 16 October 2025 in Vienna, Austria), the Dutch research group Modelling Societal Impact received the CEP Probation Research Award for their work on the societal impact of the Dutch probation services. The research has since been completed. There are multiple reports published (in Dutch) and a short videocast with English subtitles. For anyone interested, see below an oversight of the published research and relevant links to the publications and videocast.
This research may help other European countries demonstrate the added value of probation for their national context. If you would like to learn more about this, please contact: a.a.nemeth@saxion.nl (dr.ir. Attila Németh) or a.visser@saxion.nl (Anouk Visser, MSc.)
Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!
- Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.