Terrorism and Criminal 1

SEC400 Terrorism and Criminal Activity Paper

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Terrorism and Criminal 2

Terrorism and Criminal Activity Paper

Terrorism and criminal activity have many similarities in that the action of the criminal and

the terrorist group are illegal, immoral, and result in victims but there are also distinct

differences. Crime is an activity that goes against the laws of a society while terrorism can be

supported by the state or government in which the terrorist operates. Terrorists are well trained

groups that operate more like a military than a criminal group and commit violent crimes that are

different from the violent crimes often time seen in the criminal element. The terrorist has a

propensity for violence while not all crimes involve violent behavior.

Terrorist commit violent acts and even crimes to support a cause while criminal commit

crimes for different motives, such as greed, jealousy, and anger. Terrorist groups emerge in a

society where the group feels oppressed either politically or religiously (Gadek, 2008). These

groups will form when members of the society experience the same anger and frustration at this

oppression. Terrorist groups also form when their society is invaded by another country and their

culture is threatened. Criminals commit crimes due to anger and frustration at their

socioeconomic circumstances but will not commit acts of planned violence in order to make a

statement to bring attention to their cause while the criminal takes steps to mask their crime.

Criminals will cover-up there fingerprints, where masks to hide their faces, or commit their

crimes under the cover of darkness while the terrorist go to great lengths to bring attention to

their actions to ensure their message can be spread. Terrorist groups have a specific agenda and

will commit the greatest amount of destruction and violence in order to ensure that the media

brings attention to their cause. Criminals operate in a specific geographical are while the terrorist

conducts operations all over the globe, especially in westernized countries.

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Prevention, Mitigation, and Enforcement Measures

Since the attacks on America on September 11, 2001 the focus of the government has been on

developing antiterrorism measures that will prevent and effectively mitigate any further terrorist

attacks. The first step of the government was to create the Department of Homeland Security in

order to integrate federal agencies to ensure that intelligence warning about a potential attack

does not go unnoticed, as in the case of 9/11. Failures in interagency communications led to a

failure of the federal government to stop the terrorist attacks that killed over 3,000 Americans.

Homeland Security is designed to coordinate efforts to ensure that further terrorist attacks are

prevented as well as to create an effective response system in the event of further terrorist

attacks. Next the government created the USA Patriot Act which is legislation designed to

broaden and strengthen the investigatory capabilities of police. The police can now conduct

searches without a warrant or probable cause if there is a suspicion of terrorist activity and can

conduct roving wiretaps in order to develop intelligence on potential terrorist threats (Bloss,

2007). Law enforcement can also detain any citizen that may pose a potential terroristic threat to

American society.

Through this intelligence gathering and the new sharing of information further terrorist

attacks have been averted. Law enforcement agencies across the country, including federal, state,

and local police, also have different rules about sharing information and are now required to alert

the F.B.I. of any intelligence that is gathered that could be potential terroristic behavior. Through

the sharing of information terrorists cells have been located and terrorist threats captured or

removed from the country.

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Different measures have been taken to prevent crime beginning with the deployment of the

first police department designed after the principles of Sir Robert Peel and the creation of a

criminal code. There are many different types of crime prevention methods in place in society to

address crime while crime is deterred through punishment. Law enforcement is responsible for

identifying, investigating, and arresting criminal offenders in society in order to ensure they are

no longer a threat and can be punished for their crimes. The death penalty is the most extreme

method of punishment designed to deter the offender but sentencing policies, such as Three

Strike Laws, are also designed to deter the criminal offender through the resulting severe

punishment.

Law enforcement measure in terrorism involves gathering intelligence, identifying terroristic

threats, and sending in the military to eliminate these threats. While terrorists located in Western

countries are arrested in caught out in society many terrorist are in different countries and must

be dealt with by military forces. In current society the actions of the terrorists groups are dealt

with swiftly and harshly. They are not afforded a trial in many cases, such Osama Bin Laden, but

instead eliminated. The criminal, on the other hand, is afforded due process rights when they

commit a crime which includes the right to a trial with counsel.

Unlike the terrorist the criminal has the right to try to prove their innocence and any

violations of their right could result in the charges being thrown out of the court. Criminal

suspects are afforded due process rights, such as the right to a trial, attorney, and right to

introduce evidence of their innocence. The terrorist is not always afforded these rights. Terrorist

that do make it to the trial stage are tried as terrorists and subject to the death penalty. Only

criminals that commit capital murder crimes will be subject to the death penalty in America.

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Benefits and Limitations of Prevention versus Enforcement

Prevention is stopping the crime or the terrorist action before it can occur and is a more

effective that enforcing a crime after it has occurred. Crime prevention includes putting programs

and services in place that will assist vulnerable members in society in avoiding engaging in

criminal behavior. By preventing the crime or the terrorist act it will prevent innocent victims

being subject to criminal or terroristic behavior. Crime prevention ensures areas in the

community are safer and crime preventing measures can be effective at deterring crime. For

example a police presence in a community or the use of CCTV may deter criminal behavior.

Deterring terrorist behavior is more difficult that putting crime prevention measures in place.

While America has put many prevention measures in place, including developing the TSA and

securing America’s airplanes, it has been more difficult to deter terrorists that are not frightened

by the potential consequences of their violent actions. Many members of a terrorist group are

willing to die for their cause which makes them a greater threat to society. Current prevention

methods, however, have to date, been successful in preventing any further terrorist attacks in the

United States but have not prevented other attacks on Americans overseas.

Economy Affected by Criminal Activity and Terrorism

Crime creates a major economic burden for the crime victims and the government. The

tangible and intangible costs of crime place a severe encumbrance on society and

misappropriating significant resources that could otherwise be directed toward more productive

endeavors (Erikson, 2010). The criminal justice system is responsible for identifying, arresting,

trying, and punishing the criminal offender. There is a high cost the police, courts, and

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correctional department in trying and punishing the criminal offender. In fact in America the

highest cost to the taxpayer is the expense of housing the extremely large prison population.

The economic impact of terrorism can be both national and international. Terrorist commits

acts of violence that result in the loss of life and property as well as the cost of the airline ticket

has gone up to ensure terrorists do not capture anymore American flights to use as bombs. When

terrorist commit their acts of destruction businesses lose money and citizens lose their jobs. For

example the attacks on September 11, 2001 cost the American government, businesses, and

taxpayers billions of dollars in lost revenue and the inability to operate.

Measures that need to be put into place to deter and prevent further terrorist attacks cost the

government and the resulting was in Afghanistan and Iraq cost the country and its citizens

twenty billion dollars. Terrorism and crime are extremely costly. Crime is a constant fixed cost

in the American economy while terrorism is not but with the crime rate rising every year along

with the prison population the impact of crime to the economy will be far greater than that of

terrorism as long as further attacks are thwarted. When the government and the taxpayer is

responsible for the burden of the crime or the terrorist attack it directly impacts the economy.

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References

Bloss, W. (2007).Escalating U.S. Police Surveillance after 9/11: an Examination of Causes and

Effects. Retrieved October 8, 2012 from

http://www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles4%283%29/escalating.pdf

Erikson, S. (2010). The Financial Impact of Crime. The Daily Caller. Retrieved October 8, 2012

from http://dailycaller.com/2010/02/19/the-financial-impact-of-crime/

Gadek, R. (2008).Terrorism: Criminal Behavior vs. Terrorism. Retrieved October 8, 2012 from

http://criminaljusticeonlineblog.com/11/terrorism-criminal-behavior-vs-terrorism/