NCJ Number
224831
Date Published
2007
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This paper analyzes the social characteristics of terrorists and terrorist organizations, so as to improve counterterrorist tactics over the long term.
Abstract
One key finding is that terrorists are between the ages of 20 and 30, and they are usually recruited by other terrorists before the age of 20 after completing high school or starting college. A second major finding is that all of the terrorists surveyed received some type of education, with over half either graduating from high school or having some college education. Other key findings are that over two-thirds of the terrorists or their families had low incomes; over half lived in small disadvantaged geographic regions; and some of the terrorists lacked parental supervision, particularly from the father. These findings should be part of the data considered in the analysis of the causes of terrorism. These causes should then be targeted in order to make terrorism and violence unacceptable, particularly in those regions, countries, and domains from which terrorists are recruited. Such campaigns for preventing terrorism should involve the education system, the media, religious leaders, nonprofit organizations, and governmental and economic policymakers. Addressing the causes of terrorism through a multidisciplinary, multipronged strategy is for the long term. Over the short term, those committed to perpetrating terrorism must be countered through both law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Such efforts must be conducted under the rule of law. Priority should be given to prevention through intelligence and security operations, with a focus on likely terrorist targets. Threat assessment should include the prediction of potential future tactics and weaponry, so pre-emptive action can be planned and implemented. This study involved a literature review and a Delphi examination of a survey of 1,070 imprisoned terrorists. 3 references