Crime is something that can be understood in many ways. A terrorist’s crime is done for a cause; while for the ordinary criminal it is usually a crime of opportunity. What separates the terrorist from the ordinary criminal is the cause. It is important for law enforcement to recognize the differences between typical criminal behavior and terrorism. If this can be achieved, prevention of crime and apprehension of criminals will be more successful. If they fail to recognize that the crime committed was something more than ordinary crime, they will miss the point of the investigation.
In cases of malicious destruction of property, law enforcement tends to classify it as ordinary crime. However, these cases could very well be something more. Let me use an example from Jonathan White. He tells a story of unlawful entries on farms. While there, the perpetrator destroys the cages and frees all the animals. The farmer comes out in the morning and sees the destruction, then, goes inside and calls the police. Is this really just an ordinary crime? The ordinary criminal would just destroy the cages and leave. But in this situation, we have someone that took the time to release the animals. Now, I will add in another piece of information. There is an animal rights group that has been upset about the caging of animals at farms. They believe that all animals should be free. With this information, it could be possible that the recent crime at that farm was part of a greater cause. This crime could very well be an attack by a terrorist.
Ordinary criminals are unfocused when it comes to the goals they have. They strike when the opportunity presents itself. There is little preparation because of the fact that everything is unplanned. They usually live in an underworld of crime but they very rarely are devoted to crime as a philosophy. When confronted with force, the criminal will run. When captured, this person will make deals to try and avoid punishment.
Terrorists, on the other hand, are completely different. According to Jonathan White, they find strength in a cause and the ideology or religion behind the cause. These people are supported by an organization that sends them on missions. They tend to work in teams or cells that work together to achieve a goal. The whole idea of being part of a greater cause is what fuels them to act. The targets that are chosen by terrorists are symbolic targets. The attack on these targets will be carefully planned. The terrorists will receive training to prepare them for the operation. They will rehearse the plan over and over to execute the attack without error. When confronted with force, terrorists tend to attack and die for their cause. They believe that they will become martyrs and strengthen the cause. If they are captured, they will rarely cooperate with law enforcement because they refuse to betray the cause they are dedicated too.
The ordinary criminal and the terrorist are two very different people. For me, it is important to understand how they are different. Because, if it this isn’t understood, law enforcement will assume that everything is just an ordinary crime. It is clear with the explanation I have given, that not all crime is just ordinary. Sometimes it can be part of something that is much bigger. If law enforcement always assumes that crime is done by your typical criminal, they will not capture the proper person that did the crime. As a result, law enforcement could even contribute to the problem because they aren’t going after the right person. While this is occurring, the terrorist will have free reign to commit more acts of terror; which can cost the lives of many people.
Here is an interesting article with a similar theme.
Works Cited: White. Jonathan R. Terrorism and Homeland Security.
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