NCJ Number
224178
Journal
Criminal Justice Studies: A Critical Journal of Crime, Law and Society Volume: 21 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2008 Pages: 95-108
Date Published
June 2008
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of Muslim Americans with regards to antiterrorist policies and legislative efforts in the United States with a specific emphasis on the United States-led Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) in the post-9/11 era.
Abstract
The results indicate that Muslim Americans, in this sample, are generally unsupportive of the United States-led Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) and perceive that it has had some negative consequences on them personally. At the same time, the findings also indicate that these Muslims are generally not supportive of terrorists, terrorist activities, or the beliefs of some fundamentalists that Islam necessitates violence. In order to not only understand more fully the perceptions that Muslims have of the GWOT, but also their perceptions of the way in which they are treated as a result of the GWOT by both the public and law enforcement, more research is clearly needed. Much is known about the perceptions of Americans surrounding the GWOT and the United States policies related to the war including the invasion of Iraq. What is less known is the perception of Muslim Americans of the GWOT. It is understandable that these perceptions are equally significant when considering the supposed connection between Islam and terrorism. This study attempts to build on what is known regarding perceptions of the current GWOT. With data collected in October/November of 2006 from Muslim Americans in the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX area, the study examined the perceptions of Muslim Americans with regards to anti-terrorist policies, including special emphasis on the GWOT. Tables and references