A consortium of researchers dedicated to improving the understanding of the human causes and consequences of terrorism

Pre-radicalization criminal activity is strongest predictor of post-radicalization violent extremism

Individuals who engaged in non-violent or violent crime prior to radicalizing were 1.85 times more likely to engage in acts of violent extremism after radicalizing than were extremists without criminal histories, according to new analysis of START’s Profiles of Radicalization in the United States dataset. A new research brief includes an analysis of the likelihood of pre-radicalization criminality for U.S. extremists, a look at the pre-radicalization criminal behaviors that are most prevalent amongst extremists with criminal histories, and information on the average age of earliest criminal activity for non-violent and violent extremists.

Read the research brief "Pre-Radicalization Criminal Activity of United States Extremists," here.