Introduction

In this chapter we introduce this edited volume on recruitment to organized crime and terrorism. The volume presents key findings from the Proton project. As detailed in this introduction, the papers included add substantive and significant knowledge to our understanding of these questions focusing on the economic, social, and psychological factors that increase the likelihood of recruitment. We first briefly review the existing literature on recruitment to terrorism and organized crime, identifying key gaps in the literature. We then turn to the specific contributions in the volume and summarize how they have added to the knowledge base in this area. Finally, we revisit the question of similarities and differences between factors influencing recruitment based on the papers in the volume, and try to draw broader conclusions about how this knowledge can inform societal responses to the problem of recruitment.