NCJ Number
62727
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THE NEED FOR A DEFINITIONAL APPROACH TO COMPONENTS OF TERRORISM, INCLUDING TERRORIST OUTCOMES, VICTIMS, TARGETS, VIOLENCE, AND POLITICAL PURPOSES, IS STRESSED.
Abstract
COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THESE TERRORISM ELEMENTS IS ESSENTIAL: TYPES OF PARTICIPANTS WHO ENGAGE IN TERRORISM AS PRECIPITATORS, INSTRUMENTAL TARGETS, PRIMARY TARGETS, AND SPILLOVER VICTIMS; OBJECTIVES OF PARTICIPANTS AND OTHER RELEVANT SUBJECTIVE ASPECTS (IDENTIFICATIONS, DEMANDS, AND EXPECTATIONS); SITUATIONS OF INTERACTION; TYPES OF RESOURCES AT THE DISPOSAL OF PARTICIPANTS; PARTICULAR TERRORIST TACTICS OR STRATEGIES; OUTCOMES OF TERRORISM; AND EFFECTS OF TERRORISM ON LEGAL POLICIES. TERRORISM IS PERMISSIBLE OR IMPERMISSIBLE, DEPENDING ON FEATURES OF CONTEXT AND WHETHER IT SERVES OR THWARTS LEGAL POLICIES AT STAKE IN ANY GIVEN INTERACTION. CONSEQUENTLY, DIFFERENT DEFINITIONAL NEEDS ARE INVOLVED IN THE INTELLECTUAL TASKS OF DESCRIBING TERRORISM AND MAKING DECISIONS CONCERNING ITS PERMISSIBLENESS. A CLEAR SEPARATION OF TERRORISM AND GUERRILLA ACTIVITIES IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE OR DESIRABLE. HOWEVER, TERRORISM CAN BE DEFINED AS THE INTENTIONAL USE OF VIOLENCE OR THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE BY PRECIPITATORS AGAINST INSTRUMENTAL TARGETS. ATTEMPTS TO DELINEATE THE SCOPE OF TERRORISM BY REGULATION IN THE UNITED STATES AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES ARE REVIEWED. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)