The kinds of questions we ask
What happens when police gang units are transformed into counter-terrorism squads? How does our response to terrorism affect civil liberties? Do risk assessments derived from policing apply in counter-terrorism? If we protect vulnerable sites, will terrorists just focus elsewhere? How do we measure success in countering violent extremism?
Research in action
- Global Counter-Terrorism Law and Policy Group: Confronted with escalating terrorist attacks and threats to public safety and security, justice systems worldwide face intense pressure from communities and political leaders to respond effectively. As justice practitioners try to manage events amidst heightened anxiety, they often lack a solid base of evidence for decision-making. To address this need, the Global Justice Lab has created the Global Counter-Terrorism Law and Policy Group, which studies the responses of justice actors and institutions to terrorist events and evaluates security policy in light of contemporary, historical and comparative research. The Group provides an impartial, academically rigorous hub for analyzing counter-terrorism practice, inviting researchers, policy-makers, practitioners and representatives of civil society to engage in candid conversations on challenges in Canada and abroad.
- Urban policing: Focusing on recent changes in urban policing practices, Lab scholars are investigating the creation of new specialized areas of expertise to counter violent extremism and reassess its relationship with community safety more broadly.
- Countering violent extremism: This research program explores new avenues for justice systems and societies addressing the challenge of extremists who use violence to further their political, religious or other ideological goals.