Perceptual and Procedural Expertise in Ideologically-Motivated Crime: An Analysis of the Far-Left

• In Event: Joining and Recruiting Terrorists

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the manner in which ideologically-motivated offenders draw upon prior knowledge and 'expertise' in planning and/or execution different crime types. Drawing on a sample of self-reported communiques, the results suggest that offenders rely on perpetual and procedural expertise to inform their decisions engage in crime. Perceptual expertise was related to situational factors and target selection. Procedural expertise involved the tactical knowledge and skills required to enact the offense. Consistent with prior research on other violent and non-violent criminal offenders, our results suggest both types of expertise work recursively to inform the larger criminal decision-making process. Overall, findings from this study suggest ideologically-motivated crimes require differential levels of skill and planning. Implications for criminological theory and the overlap between extremism and criminal offending are discussed.

Authors

• Michael K. Logan, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Gina S. Ligon, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Douglas C. Derrick, University of Nebraska at Omaha