Effectiveness in Counter-Terrorism and Countering Violent Extremism: A Literature Review

This Research Note is a summary of the findings of a larger literature review of more than 200 publications on what their authors consider to be Measures of Effectiveness (MoEs) in Counter-Terrorism (CT) efforts and in Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programs. Specifically, the MoEs in CT and CVE interventions are examined in terms of how the literature discusses their outcome, Evidence gaps which need to be filled are identified, and recommendations for further research on these issues are made. The general objective is to identify findings that contribute to upgrading the effectiveness of the various communities involved in responding to terrorist threats and in understanding how to weaken the drivers of radicalization and recruitment.