Global Security and Intelligence Studies
York ’ s Times Square ) with five counts relating to the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction (“# 477 : 10-14-98 Eric Rudolph Charged in Centennial Olympic Park Bombing ”, 1998 ; “ Complaint Against Faisal Shahzad ”, 2010 ). Both received long sentences . However , laws used to convict these “ lone wolf terrorists ” were not the most optimum prosecutorial tool . They failed to address the underlying issue of a lack of understanding of the differences between lone wolf terrorism and terrorism committed by large groups and failed to identify that an attack committed by a single person is just as much an act of terror as if a group committed it . As mentioned above , if the legal system employs other laws to prosecute individual terrorists , it is difficult for policymakers and researchers to determine the full extent of lone wolf terrorism as an essential issue , mainly before the year 2001 .
Recommendations
Overview
Suggestions for legal reform traditionally generate skepticism , doubt , and frustration . It is no secret that the U . S . system of government can most certainly bog down legal reform to the point of discussions and efforts becoming stagnant . However , some actions outside of traditional legal reforms will help fill the gaps with some of the legal issues discussed above . These recommendations fall into four categories : working to define lone wolf terrorism , reconsidering federal dominance , reduce legal ambiguity , and moving toward Executive Branch consistency . However , it is more than just “ adding a few words ” to a law . It requires analysis , thought , and dedication .
Define Lone Wolf Terrorism
While attempting to define terrorism in general is still under some debate , the consensus is building toward a standard definition centering around violence , or the threat of violence , by nonmilitary groups to influence governmental policy . However , as mentioned above , academics and policymakers still struggle to concur on an adequate definition of lone wolf terrorism . As many researchers have determined , even the name “ lone wolf terrorist ” is useless and misleading ( Gruenewald , Chermak , and Freilich 2013 ; Hoffman 2016 ; Ludwick 2016 ). Other researchers try to avoid the issue altogether by using other labels such as “ lone offender ,” “ loner ,” “ lone wolf pack ,” and “ solo terrorist ” ( Borum 2012 ; LaFree 2013 ; Pantucci 2011 ). Unfortunately , these new labels only add further confusion to the definitional issue .
The lack of even a remotely agreed upon definition of lone wolf terrorism plays a central role in the development of laws and policy toward this terrorist threat . Creating standard definitions addressing terrorism by unaffiliated
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