Research sponsored and published by the journal of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in the United States indicates that, while there is no single, clear link between individuals who engage in violent extremism and terrorism and those who engage in other forms of targeted violence, there are important and sometimes unexpected similarities.

Targeted violence encompasses a wide range of anti-law enforcement activity, from mass shootings to activities related to gang or group violence, as well as human trafficking. Although each of these illicit acts has been extensively researched, until recently they have not been studied in a way that identifies similarities and differences in the context of domestic violent extremism and terrorism. Having a better understanding of any links or overlap between those who carry out this type of violence and those who engage in violent extremism and terrorism is essential to developing or adapting targeted violence prevention efforts.

The National Institute of Justice has funded several projects for researchers Heidi Ellis, Edna Erez, John Horgan, Gary LaFree and Ramon Spaaij comparing:

• Violent extremists and individuals involved in gangs.
• Persons involved in terrorism and persons involved in human trafficking.
• Lone actor-type terrorists (i.e., lone individuals whose terrorist acts are not directed or supported by any group or other individuals) and individuals who commit non-ideological mass murder.

Some of these projects rely on large state databases of individuals known to have committed violent acts, while others explore community and stakeholder perceptions of the acts. In addition, some of these projects focus on how communities facing elevated risk factors, such as adversity and disadvantage, experience certain types of violence. The article ends with a discussion of possible implications for policy and future research.

An essential step in determining similarities is to examine the circumstances of those who fall into these groups. Based on 45 face-to-face interviews of individuals involved in U.S. gangs and 38 life history narratives of individuals who became radicalised in the United States, the researchers provided a unique comparison of entry into these groups based on four mechanisms of entry:

• Pull factors (influences that attract vulnerable people to participate in criminal groups).
• Push factors (influences that drive vulnerable people to become interested in participation in criminal groups).
• Barriers to effective socialisation.
• Recruitment.

Individuals involved in these gangs were more motivated than extremists by the promise of material rewards (a pull factor). However, extremists were more motivated by cultural disillusionment and a perceived loss of significance (push factors).

The investigation has identified two possible connections between terrorism and human trafficking. Firstly, a terrorist organisation may perpetrate human trafficking to further its interests or meet the needs of its members. This is especially true in international contexts and conflict zones. Secondly, terrorism and human trafficking can co-occur.

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