NCJ Number
52761
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
FORCES THAT FACILITATE TERRORISM, MOTIVES OF TERRORISTS, AND POLICIES FOR SOCIAL COHESION ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE TREND IN TERRORISM IS ONE RELATED TO AN INCREASE IN THE GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE, NUMERICAL FREQUENCY, AND INTENSITY OF TERRORIST ACTS. THE MOST PROBABLE REACTION TO ANY ESCALATION IN VIOLENCE AND TERROR WILL BE CONTROL RATHER THAN REMOVAL OF THE CAUSE. SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT FAVOR TERRORIST ACTIVITIES, ASSUMING A MOTIVE TO PERFORM SUCH ACTS EXISTS, ARE EDUCATION, FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, TECHNIQUES OF DESTRUCTION AND BRAINWASHING, THE DECAY OF SOCIAL CONTROLS, AND THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. ALL GOVERNMENTS TEND TO BELIEVE THAT THEIR POLICIES ARE RIGHT AND THAT THOSE OF ALL OPPONENTS ARE WRONG. GOVERNMENTS, THEREFORE, FEEL THAT THE USE OF FORCE AND TRICKERY AGAINST OPPONENTS IS JUSTIFIED. THERE ARE GOVERNMENTS THAT FAVOR A PARTICULAR GROUP IN THE COMMUNITY, NOTABLY RELIGIOUS GROUPS, RACIAL GROUPS, THE RICH, AND LANDOWNERS. TWO TRENDS HAVE PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE WHEN EVALUATING MOTIVES FOR TERRORISM: (1) THE CASE OF GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE BLIND TO THE INTERESTS OF PEOPLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES WHOSE LIVES THEY CAN AFFECT; AND (2) THE SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE FEEL THEY CANNOT INFLUENCE THOSE WHO ARE IN POWER BY ANY MEANS OTHER THAN FORCE. A POOL OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE SOCIAL PATHOLOGY OF TERRORISM IS NECESSARY IN FORMULATING POLICIES FOR SOCIAL COHESION. SOCIAL POLICIES MUST BE MODIFIED TO MINIMIZE DISSOLUTION OF THE FAMILY GROUP AND TO COVER POLITICAL INJUSTICES. COOPERATION ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE IS ESSENTIAL. POSSIBLE REACTIONS TO A STEADY ESCALATION IN VIOLENCE ARE CONSIDERED. (DEP)