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DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF TERRORIST TARGETS IN A CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN CONTEXT

NCJ Number
62442
Author(s)
D E FRIESTAD
Date Published
1978
Length
234 pages
Annotation
TERRORIST TARGETS AND OPERATIONAL PLANS ARE ANALYZED, AND THE APPLICABILITY OF CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (CPTED) CONCEPTS TO TERRORISM IS EXPLORED.
Abstract
THE ANALYSIS OF TERRORIST TARGETS AND OPERATIONAL PLANS USES THREE DATA SOURCES: (1) ITERATE (INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM: ATTRIBUTES OF TERRORIST EVENTS) DATA COVERING 148 VARIABLES FOR 539 INCIDENTS OF TERRORISM BETWEEN JANUARY 1968 AND JULY 1974; (2) HIJACKING STATISTICS THROUGH JANUARY 1, 1977; AND (3) BOMBING STATISTICS FROM UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS FOR 1972-1976. FOLLOWING THE ANALYSIS OF ATTRIBUTES OF TERRORISM, AIRCRAFT HIJACKING RATES BEFORE AND AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF AIRPORT ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND SECURITY CHANGES ARE EXAMINED TO TEST HYPOTHESES THAT DECREASING REINFORCEMENT, INCREASING RISK, AND RESTRUCTURING ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES WILL NOT DECREASE TERRORIST ACTIVITY. BECAUSE THESE HYPOTHESES ARE REJECTED, THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CPTED CONCEPT SHOULD BE USED AS A GENERAL STRATEGY AGAINST TERRORISM IS CONSIDERED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, IF SPECIFIC TARGETS (E.G., COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT) ARE KNOWN, TARGET-HARDENING OR ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN STRATEGIES MIGHT WORK AGAINST TERRORISM. HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO APPLY THESE STRATEGIES TO ALL THE POTENTIAL TARGETS OF TERRORISTS. IN ADDITION, MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TERRORISTS (WHO OFTEN DEFINE THEMSELVES AS FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND REVOLUTIONARIES, NOT CRIMINALS) AND CPTED STRATEGIES. COMMENTS ON THE NATURE AND FUTURE OF TERRORISM, SUPPORTING DATA, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)