An Exploratory Analysis of Far-Right, Far-Left, Al Qaeda/ISIS Extremists and School Shooters

• In Event: Investigating Radicalization Pathways and the Commission of Extremist and Genocidal Violence

Abstract

This study investigated the applicability of criminological and psychological risk and protective factors of far-right, far-left and Al Qaeda (AQ)/ISIS violent extremists, and non-extremist school shooters in the United States. The use of risk and protective factors comes from the field of public health and is typically known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). This study conducted case studies and answered questions from a case template that explored risk and protective factors from the field of terrorism and extremism. The importance of this study is multi-pronged as most studies have not compared non-extremist school shooters in the United States to other extremists and terrorists. By understanding similarities and differences of these violent actors we may be able to identify and address issues individuals are confronting before they hurt innocent civilians. Most studies have a proximal scope of reference. This study includes distal and proximal factors while using qualitative methods. Preliminary results show that an integrated template used here can capture hardships all actors experienced.

Author

• Lance Jhordan Asquith Lindsay, CUNY Graduate Center / John Jay College of Criminal Justice