Terrorism is one of the many examples of community violence and a serious problem that exists in contemporary society. Various illegal activities connected to terrorism happen all over the world and bring significant harm to individuals and communities. For instance, terrorist attacks that are usually defined as the use of violence motivated by religious and political goals are organized in public places to destroy buildings and kill a big number of people.
One philosophy that can be associated with the problem of terrorism is Identity Theory. Many professionals played a role in developing this thought and applying it to different life settings; however, Schwartz et al. (2009) were able to relate it to terrorism. The researchers proposed that the distinguishing features of one’s social, cultural, and personal identities are the determinants of their motivation to engage in terroristic activities (Schwartz et al., 2009). For this reason, individuals’ likelihood to become a terrorist is greatly affected by their personality characteristics and beliefs.
To effectively manage the problem of terrorism in society, people should be educated about it and possess at least a minimal amount of knowledge about its adverse consequences. Therefore, the program aiming at addressing the discussed issue will include collecting, analyzing, and reflecting on various data concerning terrorist attacks that happened in different countries at different points of human history. The next step will be to visit educational institutions, such as schools and colleges, where the developers of the program will discuss what is terrorism, why it happens, and what are its motivations and outcomes. This strategy will also allow engaging the young generation in a discussion and hear their opinion on how the problem can be addressed and prevented.
Some important elements have to be indicated before the program implementation. The members of the program development and implementation team will be my friends who are also interested in terrorism and the topic of community violence in general. The plan will be designed to last for two months, 2 weeks from which will be dedicated to research and the collection of all the necessary data. At the moment, five people volunteered to take part in this project but it will require more individuals who will be responsible for advertising the events and communicating with educational institutions. The organizing team is planning to market the program with the help of social media advertising and direct interaction with teachers and school principals. Thus, a specific budget of approximately 100 dollars will be needed to pay for marketing on Facebook and Instagram.
The objectives of the program would be the following:
- To educate the young population about the problem of terrorism
- To raise awareness about the motivations for engaging in terroristic activities
- To encourage individuals to think about the possible ways of preventing terrorism
The projected outcomes of the program are:
- Young individuals who are educated about the problem
- The development of other programs aimed at preventing terrorism
The program of contributing to the management of terrorism perfectly aligns with my future criminal justice career. I would like to specialize in the sphere of community violence to promote peace and harmony in the communities. Therefore, developing this program is a good practice that will help to not only enrich my knowledge but also advance my organizing and communication skills.
Reference
Schwartz, S. J., Dunkel, C. S., & Waterman, A. S. (2009). Terrorism: An identity theory perspective. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 32(6), 537-559. Web.