1. Political Crime and Terrorism Siegel 10th edition
Chapter Eleven
Political Crime and Terrorism
Siegel 10th edition

2. Political Crime
Since 9/11 political crime and terrorism have become important areas of criminological inquiry
Political crime can be violent and nonviolent
Terrorism is only one type of politically motivated crime
Definition of political crime
Illegal acts that are designed to undermine an existing government and threaten its survival, e.g., dissent, treason, espionage, terrorism, or assassination.

3. The Nature of Political Crime
May stem from religious or ideological beliefs
May not be easy to always label political criminals as antisocial
Motivations shift between selfish and selfless desires
Behavior is often between conventional and outlawed behavior
Political criminals may be motivated by conviction and not greed
Acts are often motivated by a higher calling

4. The Goals of Political Crime
Intimidation
Revolution
Profit
Conviction / pseudo-conviction

5. Becoming a Political Criminal
No set reason why someone becomes a political criminal
There is a regularity in the way ideas are formed
Stage 1 – “It’s not right”
Stage 2 – “It’s not fair”
Stage 3 – “It’s your fault”
Stage 4 – “You’re evil”

6. Types of Political Crime
Election Fraud
Treason
Espionage
Spying on governments, organizations, or society
Industrial espionage
Foreign industrial espionage
Economic Espionage Act of 1996

7. The illegal interference with the process of an election.
Election Fraud
The illegal interference
with the process of an election.
Intimidation or threats
Disruption, e.g., bomb threats
Misinformation, e.g., misleading information such as election date or eligibility requirements
Registration fraud, e.g., busing in noneligible voters using “change of address” forms
Vote buying, e.g., absentee ballots

8. Treason According to the United States Criminal Code,
“whoever, owing allegiance to the United States,
levies war against them or adheres to their enemies,
giving them aid and comfort within the United Sates
or elsewhere,
is guilty of treason
and shall suffer death,
or shall be imprisoned not less than five years
and fined under this title
but not less than $10,000;
and shall be incapable of holding
any office under the United States.”

9. Espionage (Spying) The practice of obtaining information
about a government, organization, or society
that is considered secret or confidential
without the permission
of the holder of the information.
Industrial Espionage
Foreign Industrial Espionage

10. State Political Crime
Sometimes state authorities commit crimes against the people they are supposed to serve
Goal may be to maintain power or to uphold the race, class, and gender advantage of those who support the government

11. Varieties of State Political Crimes
Political Corruption
Illegal Domestic Surveillance
Human Rights Violations
State Violence
Can include various acts of torture
State-corporate Crime

12. Torture?
Ticking Bomb Scenario?

13. Political Crime and Terrorism
Political crime is an act that carries with it the intent to disrupt and change the government and must not merely be a simple common law crime committed for reasons of greed or egotism. These are sometimes referred to as convictional criminals – those who believe their actions will benefit society.
Terrorism generally involves the premeditated illegal use of force (violence) against innocent people to achieve a political objective or to commit a political crime.
Terrorism can also include economic or social reform efforts.

14. History of Terrorism
Acts of terrorism have been known throughout history.
Religious Roots
Gain right to practice their own religion
Establish the supremacy of their own religion over others
Meet the requirements of the blood-thirsty god or gods they worshipped
Political Roots
Used as a tactic to gain political rights when rulers had absolute power

15. Terrorism
Terrorism is the political crime that most are concerned with.
There is a long history of terrorism.
Still hard to define it and to separate terrorist acts from interpersonal crimes of violence.
To be considered terrorism an act must carry the intent to disrupt and change the government and must not be merely a common-law crime committed for greed.
Often need illegal force against innocent people to achieve an objective (not always political).
Economic or social reform

16. Characteristics of Terrorism
Political in aims and motives.
Exploitation of fear (terror) through violence or the threat of violence.
Psychological effects (fear through intimidation).
Perpetrated by some organizational entity with an identifiable chain of command capable of conspiratorial conduct.
Perpetrated by a subnational group or non-state entity.

17. Characteristics of Terrorism (cont’d)
Designed to create power when there is no power.
To terrorists, there are no rules of warfare or codes of conduct.
The goal is that through the publicity generated from their violence, terrorists will have the leverage to effect political change.

18. Terrorist and Guerilla
“Terrorist” is often used interchangeably with “guerilla”
Guerilla comes from the Spanish term meaning “little war”
Terrorists have an urban focus
Operate in small bands of 3-5 members, target the property or persons of their enemy
Guerillas are located in rural areas
Attack the military, the police, or government officials
The two types can infiltrate the other areas

19. Terrorist and Insurgent
Insurgents are usually the opposition forces in a conflict
Goal of insurgents are to confront the existing government for control of all or part of its territory
Do not always use violence
Require support of a significant portion of the population
When they do use violence it is often to inspire support and gain converts

20. Terrorist and Revolutionary
A revolution is seen as a civil war
Fighting occurs between nationalists and a sovereign power that holds control of the land or,
Between the existing government and local groups over ideology and power
Can be violent
American Revolution, French Revolution
Can be nonviolent
Non-violent demonstrations in Iran (1970s)

21. Forms of Terrorism Revolutionary Political Nationalistic Cult Based
State-Sponsored
Environmental
Criminal

22. 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
Cult Terrorism
Criminal Terrorism

23. Organization of Terror Groups
Terrorist groups tend to be networked or hierarchical
Most groups subdivide their affiliates into terror cells
Each cell may function independently to one is not compromised by another’s actions
Cells can be based on location, employment, family, function

24. What Motivates the Terrorists?
Psychological View
Socialization View
Ideological View
Alienation View

25. How can state sponsored terror
Question
How can state sponsored terror
be explained?

26. Response to Terrorism Law Enforcement Using the Law
Federal Law Enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
National Counterterrorism Center
Using the Law
USA Patriot Act
Civil Rights Issues
Political Solutions