The report, titled "Enough is Enough: Addressing the Root Causes of Radicalisation" said that most people deemed to have been radicalised into Islamist extremism only show a skin-deep commitment to the religion and its practices.
Instead the report concludes that radicalisation, which exists in many other forms outside of Islamist extremism, including gang membership, gun and knife culture, political extremism and aggressive forms of racism, has its roots in a variety of common causes.
It identifies five common drivers:
- Ideology
- Identity
- Deprivation and economic marginalisation
- Mental health
- Family breakdown.
Ian Sansbury, author of the report, told Premier there is an element of ideology in Islamic radicalisation, but the government should stop making it the focus of its Prevent Strategy.
He said: "We've drawn on research from the UN and MI5 that shows that even within Islamic radicalisation significant number of young extremists really only have a superficial commitment to their faith.
"The current focus on religion and ideology puts too many young people at risk."
Oasis Foundation said a large number of those involved in terrorism do not practise their faith regularly and many engage in behaviours such as drug taking, drinking alcohol and visiting prostitutes – practices forbidden by their religion.
The report also cited a UN study of the processes of radicalisation within Africa that discovered that 57 per cent of respondents who had joined an extremist group voluntarily had 'little or no understanding of religious texts'.
The report recommended that the UK needs a fundamental rethink on the growing youth radicalisation crisis and policies that reflect the complex and multi-layered drivers that lead to different forms of extremism.
Sansbury said churches also have a vital role to play in tackling radicalisation.
He told Premier: "Churches are the key place for delivering youth work and youth mentoring.
"It has a role in ensuring that kids in our society have that sense of identity, belonging, purpose and connection."
