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Reframing CVE as a Multidisciplinary Approach to Promoting Community Safety

Abstract:

Lessons learned from mental health and education fields indicate that the United States needs to move beyond a criminal justice approach to Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) and to instead build a multidisciplinary approach to promoting community safety which includes addressing violent extremism, as well as the other salient forms of violence that afflict communities.  

This project involved a review of education and mental health literature by a multidisciplinary team inclusive of education and mental health professionals (N=5). The search focused on English language literature post-1985. An iterative consensus process was used to identify key concepts and best practices that could potentially contribute to the development of healthy, resilient communities and counter targeted violence.

Multiple relevant themes from education and mental health were identified and integrated into one overall framework. The results of the literature review were then presented and discussed at a two-day meeting, supported by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate’s Office of University Programs and comprised of experts from education, mental health, law enforcement, federal agencies and Muslim communities (N = 25). This convening led to a revised framework, report, and other materials for dissemination.

Publication Information

Full Citation:

Weine, Stevan, and Heidi Ellis, Ronald Haddad, Alisa Miller, Rebecca Lowenhaupt, Chloe Polutnik. 2015. "Reframing CVE as a Multidisciplinary Approach to Promoting Community Safety." College Park, MD. June. https://www.start.umd.edu/pubs/START_CVEtoPromotingCommunitySafety_ResearchBrief_June2015.pdf

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