Criminology Theory and Terrorism ─ New Applications and Approaches

Although there has been an increase in research on terrorism across the social and behavioural sciences in the past few decades, until recently most of this work has originated from political science, psychology or economics. Therefore, our focus in this book on criminological conceptual frameworks and empirical studies that engage terrorism and responses to it is unique. We include a distinguished group of researchers that offer their distinctive insights into criminological perspectives on terrorism.

The contributors focus on criminological perspectives that have rarely, if ever, been previously applied to the study of terrorism. This includes a range of perspectives from rational choice to social disorganization; from strain to routine activities theory. This volume will advance understanding of terrorism by taking advantage of criminological contributions, and at the same time will serve as a useful update to the criminologists and their students already working in this area. It would also be a helpful introduction to those criminologists and their students who would like to be more engaged in this important area of research.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Terrorism and Political Violence.

Joshua D. Freilich is a member of the Criminal Justice Department, and the Criminal Justice PhD Program at John Jay College, CUNY, USA, the Creator and co-Director of the United States Extremist Crime Database (ECDB) study, an Executive Committee member of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), and a member of the Global Terrorism Database's Advisory Board. His research focuses on the causes of and responses to terrorism; criminological theory, especially environmental criminology and crime prevention; and measurement issues.

Gary LaFree is Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), and Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland, USA. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Criminology (ASC) and served as President of the ASC (2005-6). He also serves on the Executive Committee of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Crime, Law and Justice Committee and the World Economic Forum’s Committee Global Agenda Council on Terrorism. Much of his research is related to understanding criminal violence.