STUDY OF BOMBINGS, INCENDIARIES, AND BOMB THREATS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS (TX) FOR THE YEAR 1975

• NCJ Number: 56553
• Journal: JOURNAL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: (1978-1979) Pages: 57-97
• Author(s): D E GEORGES; M M ZANDI
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 41 pages
• Corporate Author: Baywood Publishing Co, Inc.
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE NATURE AND INCIDENCE OF BOMBINGS AND BOMB THREATS RECORDED BY THE DALLAS, TEX., POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 1975 ARE ANALYZED.

Abstract

THE ANALYSIS ENCOMPASSES THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES: METHOD (BOMB THREAT, FIRE BOMB, EXPLOSIVES, COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS), TARGET, MOTIVE, AND TIME OF ATTACK; AND AGE, SEX, AND RACE OF SUSPECT. THE DEPARTMENT RECORDED 361 BOMB THREATS AND 35 ACTUAL BOMBINGS DURING THE YEAR. MOST (24) OF THE ACTUAL BOMBINGS INVOLVED FIRE BOMBS (MOLOTOV COCKTAILS). THE BOMBINGS RESULTED IN $3,100 IN PROPERTY DAMAGE, TWO INJURIES, AND NO DEATHS. THERE WERE 15 BOMBING-RELATED ARRESTS AND 9 PROSECUTIONS DURING THE YEAR. THE MOST COMMON TARGETS OF THREATS AND ATTACKS WERE BARS, 'MISCELLANEOUS' TARGETS, AND SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WERE THE MOST COMMON TARGETS OF ACTUAL BOMBINGS. BOMBINGS AND THREATS WERE MOST FREQUENTLY DIRECTED AT BUSINESS STRUCTURES (71 PERCENT), PUBLIC BUILDINGS (11.9 PERCENT), AND RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES (9.6 PERCENT). BECAUSE FEW BOMBERS AND THREATENERS WERE CAUGHT, MOTIVE WAS RARELY DETERMINED. IN THE FEW CASES FOR WHICH A MOTIVE WAS KNOWN, IT WAS MOST OFTEN REVENGE--TYPICALLY ON THE PART OF A STRAIGHT MALE WHOSE SENSIBILITIES HAD BEEN OFFENDED AT A GAY BAR. DATA ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SUSPECTS, THOUGH LIMITED, INDICATE THAT BOMBERS AND THREATENTERS ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE YOUNG MALES. DETAILS OF THE ANALYSIS AND SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)