Political Crime/Terrorism

Political Crime

 Illegal acts that undermine an existing government and threaten ongoing operation

Political Crime - Goals

1. Intimidation: threaten those who disagree with them 

2. Revolution : plot to overthrow government 

3. Profit: selling prohibited items (weapons/secrets) 

4. Conviction: shape the world to their view

5. Pseudo-Conviction: conceal criminality behind altruistic motives

Political Crimes - Types

• Organizational : crimes committed in name of a group 

• Occupational: crimes committed in of employment 

• Independent: crimes benefiting only the offender

Election Fraud

 Intimidation; scaring votes away from poles via threat

• Illegal interference w/ process of election 

Election Fraud - Disruption

Sabotage or creating situation that prevents voting

Election Fraud - Misinformation

Misidentifying election places/eligibility

Election Fraud - Registration fraud

Voting in unauthorized areas/districts

Election Fraud - Vote buying

Obtaining votes via direct compensation

Treason

act of disloyalty to one's nation/state, attempting to kill leader, overthrow government or give aid to  enemy in time of war 

Treason - Prevalence

1. Very rare (>40 cases in US history)

2. Punishable by death

3. Only crime identified in US Constitution

Espionage

using spies or spying by other means to obtain info about plans/activities of foreign government

Espionage State-Level

Obtaining and disseminating classified information 

Espionage - Industrial level

• Targeting private businesses in attempt to weaken governmental operations

• E.g. defense contractors/researchers 

State Political Crime

Crimes against citizens to retain governmental power

Examples: torture (Violation of domestic and international law), ticking bomb scenerio

Difficulty in Defining Terrorism

Definition is elusive

• Usually involves the illegal use of force against innocent people to achieve a political objective 

  • Characterized by secretiveness and promotion of a specific vision of the world

Types of Terrorist Groups - Organization

• Loosely affiliated networks directed by central command center 

• Cells that work together, but maintain element of separation 

Types of Terrorists Groups - Financing

• Fraudulent charitable organizations

• Various forms of crime (E.g drug distribution) 

Guerillas 

Armed military personnel who attack military targets to destabilize a government

Insurgents

Based in a region/territory and desire self-governance , compete with government for popular support 

Revolutionaries

Engaged in open civil war with an established government

Terrorist typology- Revolutionary 

Use power to frighten government actors in order to replace those actors with a more acceptable form of government

Terrorist typology- Political

Shape the government to conform to a certain view 

• Right wing; armed, resistant to government intervention, conform to religious values (e.g abortion clinic bombers)

• Left wing; challenge power structures and seek to instill equality forcibly (e.g. vietnam war bombers)

Terrorist typology-Ecoterrorists

seek to protect the environment via radical action (e.g. animal liberation front)

Terrorist typology-Nationalist

Provides a voice in minority ethnic, religious groups feeling oppressed by majority rule

Terrorist typology-Retributive

• Desire to impose a social/religious order, Violence is used to influence/intimidate

• Victims are selected for maximum propaganda value

• Unconventional military tactics are used (al-qaeda/ISIS)

Terrorist typology-State sponsored

Use of violence by government actors to repress dissident political groups/individuals (death squads)

Addressing terrorism: Law Enforcement strategies 

• Federal ( FBI, CIA, ATF, DEA, ATF) 

• Local : Primarily in larger metro areas (NYPD) 

• New training, priorities, abilities 

Addressing terrorism: Fusion centers

Department of Homeland security 

Addressing terrorism: Legal Approaches

USA Patriot Act: Greatly expands electronic surveillance surveillance tools , limits legal protection needed to monitor, expands def of terrorist