Terrorism and Criminal SEC400 Terrorism and Criminal Activity Paper Name Class Date Professor 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. 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 P ...

1. Terrorism and Criminal
SEC400 Terrorism and Criminal Activity Paper
Name
Class
Date
Professor
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

2. 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.
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.

3. 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.
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.

4. 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.
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

5. 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 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

6. 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.
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/