VIOLENT EXTREMISM IN AMERICA Interviews with Former Extremists and Their Families on Radicalization and Deradicalization RYAN ANDREW BROWN TODD C. HELMUS RAJEEV RAMCHAND ALINA I. PALIMARU SARAH WEILANT ASHLEY L. RHOADES LIISA HIATT C O R P O R A T I O N For more information on this publication, visit www.rand.org/t/RRA1071-1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this publication. ISBN: 978-1-9774-0679-8 Published by the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. © Copyright 2021 RAND Corporation R® is a registered trademark. Cover Images: AdobeStock/photolink; Azuzl Cover Design: Peter Soriano Limited Print and Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. 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Support RAND Make a tax-deductible charitable contribution at www.rand.org/giving/contribute www.rand.org Preface The January 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol, fueled by perceptions of a stolen 2020 presidential election, underscored a growing threat to America’s national secu- rity: homegrown terrorism and ideologically inspired violence. Given this evolving, ongoing threat, the U.S. government, research institutions, and private-sector partners have made significant investments in attempting to understand and prevent violent extremism. Previous RAND work has described successes and failures of radicaliza- tion prevention programs. In this project, researchers at the RAND Justice Policy Program approached questions of extremist radicalization and deradicalization from a public health perspective. This report describes personal accounts from former white supremacists, Islamic extremists, and their family members about joining extremist groups and, in some cases, deradicalizing. This research was supported by the National Institute of Justice (Grant No. 2017-ZA-CX-0005). Justice Policy Program RAND Social and Economic Well-Being is a division of the RAND Corporation that seeks to actively improve the health and social and economic well-being of popula- tions and communities throughout the world. This research was conducted in the Justice Policy Program within RAND Social and Economic Well-Being. The program focuses on such topics as access to justice, policing, corrections, drug policy, and court system reform, as well as other policy concerns pertaining to public safety and criminal and civil justice. For more information, email [email protected]. iii Contents Preface ................................................................................................. iii Figures and Tables ...................................................................................vii Summary ............................................................................................. ix Acknowledgments .................................................................................. xix Abbreviations ........................................................................................ xxi CHAPTER ONE Introduction and Background ..................................................................... 1 Violent Extremism in the United States ............................................................. 1 Definitions and Terms ................................................................................. 2 Rationale for the Current Approach ................................................................. 3 A Research Approach Derived from Suicide Prevention .......................................... 6 Limitations of the Approach .......................................................................... 7 Organization of This Report ......................................................................... 9 CHAPTER TWO Overview of the Literature ........................................................................11 Sources of Risk or Resiliency Associated with Radicalization ...................................12 Pathways to Radicalization ..........................................................................19 Processes of Exiting Extremist Organizations .................................................... 20 Perspectives on Mitigation Strategies for Extremism ............................................ 24 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 26 CHAPTER THREE Methods .............................................................................................. 27 Project Design ........................................................................................ 27 Sample Demographics and Case Details .......................................................... 27 Interview Process and Protocol ......................................................................31 Interview Analysis ....................................................................................32 v vi Violent Extremism in America CHAPTER FOUR Background Characteristics of Radical Extremists ...........................................35 Analysis of Interviews.................................................................................35 Conclusion .............................................................................................41 CHAPTER FIVE Pathways to Radicalization ....................................................................... 43 Analysis of Interviews................................................................................ 43 Conclusion .............................................................................................53 CHAPTER SIX Deradicalizing and Leaving Extremist Organizations .......................................55 Analysis of Interviews.................................................................................55 Conclusion .............................................................................................65 CHAPTER SEVEN Participant Perspectives on Mitigation Strategies .............................................67 Analysis of Interviews................................................................................ 68 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 84 CHAPTER EIGHT Synthesis and Recommendations .................................................................85 Strengths and Limitations ............................................................................85 Main Findings ........................................................................................ 86 Recommendations ................................................................................... 88 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 92 APPENDIXES A. Literature Review Methods and Scope .......................................................93 B. Interview Protocols ............................................................................. 99 References ........................................................................................... 105 Figures and Tables Figures 1.1. The Socioecological Model for Violence Prevention ................................. 5 2.1. Summary of Push and Pull Factors for Exit from Extremist Groups ............ 23 2.2. Objectives for CVE Community-Based Programs ................................. 26 Tables S.1. Summary of Study Findings and Recommendations ...............................xv 2.1. Summary of Indicators of Radicalization .............................................12 2.2. Extremist Attributes Across Ideologies ................................................18 3.1. Summary of Individuals Involved in Radicalization ................................29 3.2. Extreme Organization and Group Involvement .................................... 30 4.1. Summary of Personal Characteristics by Case ...................................... 36 5.1. Key Radicalization Themes Addressed in This Chapter (by case) ................ 44 6.1. Current Status of Focal Individuals .................................................. 56 6.2. Types of Individuals Involved in Successful Interventions..........................58 6.3. Characteristics of Successful Interventions by Individuals .........................59 vii Summary The January 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol, fueled by perceptions of a stolen 2020 presidential election, underscored a growing threat to America’s national secu- rity: homegrown terrorism and ideologically inspired violence. For some, as reports and images flooded social and traditional media, the assault might have come as a shock. But for many others, the incident was not surprising. Domestic attacks have maintained a steady and growing pace in recent years, and such events as the