As the nature of terrorism and violent extremism continues to evolve across the OSCE area, the need remains for the development of impactful, sustainable, and responsible policies and programmes that work to prevent and counter violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT). Many countries are now exploring multiagency and multidisciplinary platforms that help provide individuals who show observable signs of vulnerability to VERLT the support needed to steer them down a non-violent path. These pre-criminal interventions — many structured around a process of referrals — often fill a critical gap between long-term efforts to build social cohesion and resilience to VERLT and security-focused counter-terrorism measures.

The development of referral mechanisms and other types of non-criminal interventions are complex endeavours that must be carefully navigated. When well planned, structured, and resourced, these efforts can help make communities safer while strengthening a “whole-of-government” approach to preventing VERLT. It is imperative, however, that the appropriate policies and capacities are in place in order to ensure that such programmes do not inappropriately criminalize individuals, undermine the freedom of expression, violate privacy laws, stigmatize certain communities, or reinforce negative
gender stereotypes. This guidebook was crafted to help those policymakers and practitioners who are exploring such programmes think in a structured way about the associated benefits and risks. Although there is no one-size-fits-all model for referral mechanisms, this publication aims to provide clear guidance and some foundational principles that should underpin any intervention designed to prevent VERLT.

This guidebook was also written with the region of South-Eastern Europe in mind. South-Eastern Europe has seen a growth in P/CVERLT policies and capacity in recent years in response to a complex set of issues related to violent extremism and terrorism, and there has been tremendous interest in developing referral mechanisms. This guide focuses on some of the region-specific factors that might affect efforts to develop referral mechanisms in South-Eastern Europe, drawing from consultations with key stakeholders from the region.