Only one in 10 anti-radicalisation referrals need acute support

New Home Office statistics show that one in 10 referrals to the government’s Prevent programme resulted in specialist support, with the remainder leaving the process or being directed to alternative services.

In the year to March 2019, there were 5,738 referrals to the controversial anti-radicalisation programme, a drop of 21 per cent from the previous year. Of the referrals, 77 per cent were regarded not suitable for specialist support aimed at people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism, with 64 per cent of these signposted to other services, such as the education sector.

The majority of cases that received specialist support were centred around concerns for far-right radicalisation, with 254 cases, compared with 210 cases referred for suspected Islamist radicalisation. Known as the channel process, the proportion of cases was up in the year to March 2019 to 10 per cent from five per cent the previous year.

Ch Supt Nik Adams, Counter Terrorism Policing’s national coordinator for Prevent, said: “To see an increase in the number of channel cases while overall referrals are declining is a good indicator that our improved assessment processes are working and that professionals, friends and families who make referrals better understand the risks of radicalisation and how Prevent can help.”

Looking into the data, the proportion of right wing-related referrals into Prevent has reached its highest ever level. The overall reduction in referrals is explained largely by the drop in Islamist-related concerns, which for the first time reached parity with right wing referrals on around 24 per cent.  The rise in right wing referrals continued the growth seen in the last few years, up from 18 per cent in 2017/18.