¶ … Domestic Terrorism on Policing since 911
Criminal justice incorporates government institutional systems and practices that aim at combating and deterring crime, or sanctioning the law offenders through rehabilitation efforts or criminal penalties, all with a goal of upholding social control. The accused persons have entitlement to protection against any investigatory and prosecution power abuses, unless found guilty. Despite all these efforts, criminal activities within the globe has ever been at the peak of both national and international debates as law offenders continue multiplying and violating the laws. Nonetheless, no crime has ever been close to the terror activities or attacks of 9/11 in the dimensions of scope, impacts and loss of human lives. As a result, governments of diverse nations have been at the war front in fighting against terror activities within their areas of jurisdictions, as well as combating terror activities within the entire globe (Innes, 2006). This has been achievable through the criminal justice and policy reforms targeting the deterioration of criminal deeds and terror activities (Pickering, McCulloch & Wright-Neville, 2008). This paper thereby explores the impacts of domestic terrorism on policing, especially the terror attacks since 9/11.
The American department of justice delineates domestic terrorism as unlawful usage of violence or force by two or more individuals or groups (Spalek, El Awa & McDonald, 2009). This may be against property or persons, with an aim of coercing or intimidating the government, and/or the civilian population. Therefore, terror activities commonly share social or political objectives (Davis, 2004). In the study of domestic terrorism and strive to understand the motivations and intricacies that characterize terror groups, it is uneasy to clearly distinguish extremist groups from terror groups. However, the use of violent activities appears to be the distinguishing point of difference. According to Richardson (2006), terrorism is far much beyond the control through civil education or societal mobilization; hence should be pursuable and punishable via policing and law enforcement programs.
Today, the domestic terror attacks threaten many nations as they emanate from a collection of personalities ranging from radical separatist groups, violence-prone antigovernment extremists, and hate-fueled white supremacists to extremely destructive eco-terrorists (Davis, 2004). One precisely stealthy concern that traces all practices of domestic extremism is the "lone offender." This is a single individual propelled into hateful attacks by particular sets of beliefs without any group knowledge or support. Perhaps, these lone offenders struggle to join criminal groups but later quit the group only because they have a feeling that the group is not violent enough for them to stay in, or force themselves out by being too radical within the group. A number of reports from criminal research institutions elicit that many lone offenders carry out domestic terror attacks in order to promote their personal agenda and grievances.
According to Pickering, McCulloch and Wright-Neville (2008), with all forms of extremists, combating the homegrown terror attacks before maturity has been an overriding goal for many governments. Consequently, governments are always at the top, trying their best in applying their full suite of anti-terror tools together with their capabilities to eradicate threats from home-baked terrorism. These may include timed and tested investigative techniques, such as the use of informants and surveillance, emerging intelligence skills, as well as then cultivated information sharing channels since 9/11. Evidently, the American government established 103 joint terrorism task forces, which aim at amalgamating the national intelligence and law enforcement partners into a sole team, dedicated to address the terror threats of all forms. under to the task forces, the central government continuously communicate with the local, state, and the federal partners. This extends further to both international and neighboring partners who may have a hint on the activities of their communities. In case the partners has information about any threatening individual or group suspected to involve in terror activities, they opt to inform the task forces concerned (Davis, 2004). Similarly, the task forces are on their way to establishing an exemplary study targeting the identification of lone offenders using particular indicators and behavior predictors; tools which will be under the control of investigative departments for assessing suspects.
According to Innes (2006), extremists and potential groups of terrorists and their criminal activities infiltrate and negatively impact on the governmental administrative morale, as well as on the cohesiveness of military personnel/units. Political, religious and racial ideological differences persist among the active duty of government and military personnel. This primarily reflects the same case among the civilian society. This scenario thereby awakens the governments as the law/policy makers together...
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now