Treatment procedures for ideology-based terrorist offenders in Indonesia

Abstract

Studies on terrorism have increased dramatically since the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. However, the ways in which terrorist offenders’ rehabilitation should be constructed needs to be examined systematically, regardless of whether the approach used to look at terrorism is clinical or non-clinical. This research was carried out to identify treatment procedures for terrorist offenders based on first-hand experience of terrorism rehabilitators by applying qualitative design. The study involved interviews with terrorist rehabilitators in Indonesia who had been involved in treatment for ideology-based terrorist offenders in Indonesia in a variety of counseling and deradicalization programs. The findings show that the participants mention the presence of modifiable and unmodifiable domains of terrorist offenders. They believe that the domain of terrorism Motivation is likely modifiable, whereas Ideology is more challenging or takes longer to modify, while Capability is unlikely to be modified. The findings also demonstrate that there are nineteen steps for treating modifiable domains and seventeen steps for addressing unmodifiable domains of offenders. The results of this study may provide insights on treatment for offenders with different specifications related to motives, doctrines, attitudes, roles in ideological groups, militancy, and capabilities.