The Influence of Muslim & Middle Easterner Population Sizes on Local Law Enforcement Counterterrorism Funding

• In Event: Police, Terrorism, and Security Networks

Abstract

In the post 9/11 era, the majority of law enforcement funding for counter-terrorism efforts has been primarily focused at the federal level with little attention paid to the role that local law enforcement would play in the event of another major attack on the United States. Given many Americans’ expectations, though inaccurate they may be, that Muslims or individuals of Middle Eastern descent are more likely to be involved in terrorism, this study examines the relationship between the population size of both groups and the funding levels of local law enforcement agencies in the post 9/11 era. Based on critical race theory, as well as popular misconceptions about the involvement of certain groups in terrorist activity, we expect that major cities with large populations of Muslims and individuals of Middle Eastern descent experienced significant increases in local law enforcement funding after the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Using data from the US Census and Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) archives, we test our hypotheses while controlling for a host of other factors typically associated with law enforcement funding. Implications for theory and policy are discussed.

Authors

• Zachary R. Hays, California State University, Bakersfield

• Reem Abu-Lughod, California State University, Bakersfield