Testing a probabilistic model of desistance from online posting in a right-wing extremist forum: distinguishing between violent and non-violent users

Little is known about online behaviours of violent extremists generally or differences compared to non-violent extremists who share ideological beliefs. Even less is known about desistance from posting behaviour. A sample of 99 violent and non-violent right-wing extremists to compare their online pa...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Wojciechowski, Thomas W. (Author)
Contributors: Scrivens, Ryan ; Freilich, Joshua D. ; Chermak, Steven M. 1964- ; Frank, Richard
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: International journal of comparative and applied criminal justice
Year: 2025, Volume: 49, Issue: 1, Pages: 61-80
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
online communities
Violence
Desistance
Extremism
Life-course criminology
Description
Summary:Little is known about online behaviours of violent extremists generally or differences compared to non-violent extremists who share ideological beliefs. Even less is known about desistance from posting behaviour. A sample of 99 violent and non-violent right-wing extremists to compare their online patterns of desistance within a sub-forum of the largest white supremacy web-forum was analysed. A probabilistic model of desistance was tested to determine the validity of criteria set for users reaching posting desistance. Findings indicated that the criteria predicted “true” desistance, with 5% misidentification. Each consecutive month without posting in the sub-forum resulted in a 7.6% increase in odds of posting desistance. There were no significant differences in effects for violent versus non-violent users, though statistical power was low.
ISSN:2157-6475
DOI:10.1080/01924036.2024.2302178