This document defines and discusses political crime and terrorism. It covers the goals of political criminals, how individuals become political criminals, categories of political crimes like election tampering, and definitions of terrorism. Terrorism is defined as using violence against innocent people for political aims. The document also provides a brief history of terrorism and discusses contemporary forms like revolutionary, nationalist, and state-sponsored terrorism. It examines motivations for terrorism and responses to terrorism like increased surveillance powers under the USA Patriot Act.

1. Chapter 11 -
Political Crime and Terrorism
Michelle Palaro
Criminology 81-220-1
Fall 2014

2. Defining Political Crime
• The Goals of Political Criminals
– Intimidation
– Revolution
– Profit
– Conviction
– Pseudo-conviction

3. Defining Political Crime
• Becoming a Political Criminal
– Stage 1: “It’s not right”
– Stage 2: “It’s not fair”
– Stage 3: “It’s your fault”
– Stage 4: “You’re evil”

4. Political Crimes
• Political crimes can be linked into
three categories:
– Organizational
– Occupational
– Independent

5. Political Crimes
• Election Tampering and Fraud
– Election fraud includes a variety of
behaviors designed to give a candidate
or party an unfair advantage
• Intimidation
• Disruption
• Misinformation
• Registration fraud
• Vote buying

6. Political Crimes
• Treason
• Espionage
– Industrial espionage
• State Political Crime
• Using Torture

7. Terrorism
• Defining Terrorism
– The illegal use of force against innocent
people to achieve a political objective
– Terror cells
– Guerillas

8. Terrorism
• Terrorist and Insurgent
• Terrorist and Revolutionary

9. A Brief History of Terrorism
• Reign of Terror
• Russian revolution
• Pre-World War I Europe
• Nazi Germany
• Irish Republican Army
• Arab nationalists

10. Contemporary Forms of
Terrorism
• Revolutionary Terrorists
• Political Terrorists
– Right-wing political groups
– Left-wing political groups
– Eco-terrorism
• Nationalist Terrorism
• Retributive Terrorism
• State-sponsored Terrorism

11. A Brief History of Terrorism

12. Contemporary Forms of
Terrorism
• How Are Terrorist Groups Organized?
– Networks
• How Are Terrorist Groups Financed?

13. Contemporary Forms of
Terrorism

14. What Motivates the Terrorist?
• Psychological View
• Economic View
• Alienation View
• Socialization View
• Ideological View

15. Response to Terrorism
• Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
• Confronting Terrorism with Law
Enforcement
– Federal law enforcement
– Department of Homeland Security
(DHS)
– Local law enforcement

16. Confronting Terrorism with the
Law
• USA Patriot Act (USAPA)
– Legislation giving U.S. law enforcement
agencies a freer hand to investigate and
apprehend suspected terrorists
• USAPA expands all four traditional tools of
surveillance:
– Wiretaps
– Search warrants
– Pen/trap orders (recording phone calls)
– Subpoenas

17. Confronting Terrorism with the
Law
• Civil Rights and the USA Patriot Act
– Civil libertarians believe the act erodes
civil rights
– They argue the First Amendment is
violated because reasonable political
dissent can become criminal
– Subsequent acts and amendments have
strengthened the act rather than
dismantled