Dr Alice Siberry, Specialist Criminal Justice Neurodiversity Consultant at Creased Puddle, has recently been successful in receiving the ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre Translational Fellowship to develop a piece of research titled ‘Reframing the narrative of neurodivergent suspects of Counter Terrorism: The true victims of exploitation by algorithm’.

As part of the research, Dr Alice will investigate the impact that neurodivergence has within Counter Terrorism spaces, not just due to vulnerabilities related to neurological differences, but vulnerability within online spaces.

At present, there is limited research that investigates:

• The situational circumstances in which a neurodivergent person might become vulnerable to exploitation, in particular, combining the way we look at cyber-specialist skills and the increasing impact that social media has on vulnerable young people and adults at risk of exploitation.
• Counter Terrorism research from the perspective of neurodivergence, as opposed to just autism.
• The impact that neurodivergent / vulnerable people have on specialist Counter Terrorism teams, who may require more specialist skillsets to accommodate such individuals.

As such, the research will look at the influence of exploitation by algorithm, and how neurodivergent people may be increasingly exposed to radicalisation in this way. It will look to build upon the tools, resources and available knowledge and information that is available for Counter Terrorism practitioners when supporting suspects of extremist activities, who may also be victims of exploitation by algorithm.

Utilising interviews and focus groups with Counter Terrorism practitioners, Dr Alice will culminate in a 4-page report shared on the Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre website and be utilised to inform, develop and build upon Creased Puddle’s Counter Terrorism training packages and resources.

The necessary ethical and data protection requirements are underway to start this piece of research, and it is hoped that data collection will begin throughout summer 2024.

Watch this space for further updates!