CJ 205: Fall 2015
Short Paper Four
Since the attacks on the World Trade Centers in 1993 and 2001, terrorism has become much
more salient to Americans that it had been previously. Just recently it received substantial news
coverage because a European country was attacked causing over 130 deaths. Despite the
infrequency of news coverage, terrorism is a daily occurrence. Since 2001, there has been an
increased concentration of terrorism. The frequency and lethality of terrorist acts has also
increased, but a majority of them are confined to around six or seven countries. You can
probably guess which ones they are.
If you look at chapter 16, it briefly describes several viewpoints on why people become terrorists
as well as different types of terrorism. Keep in mind that there is no widely accepted definition
of terrorism and it is best considered a tactic. Only certain small groups would actually be
considered terrorist groups. The book at least acknowledges this. Groups such as the Islamic
State are not terrorist groups. They are an insurgency. This terminology is important when
dealing with the groups, but terrorist groups, guerilla movements, and insurgencies are all
capable of using terrorist tactics at any given time. Countries are also capable of doing this in
the case of state-sponsored terrorism.
Discuss the level of threat that terrorists pose to the United States as well as how the criminal
justice system deals with these potential threats. Which viewpoint do you think best describes
why people become terrorists, or is it a combination? There are psychological, sociological,
ideological, and then alienation hypotheses regarding radicalization. Which type of terrorism do
you think poses the most plausible threat to the United States? The book mentions several
different types but generally we look at different types of domestic terrorism vs. transnational
terrorism. Religious terrorism would technically fit under cult terrorism according to the book