Investigative and Prosecutorial Strategies for Mitigating Pathways to Radicalization: Creation of a Federal Terrorism Court Record Repository, [United States], 1978-2019 (ICPSR 38432)

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Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose

The goal of this study was to use the American Terrorism Study (ATS) database to create a web portal for intelligence analysts, federal prosecutors, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, state fusion centers, and NIJ-funded researchers to study U.S. radicalization known as the the ATS Court Records Repository (ATSCoRR). Criminal justice actors and scholars rely on a wide range of sources to analyze past governmental efforts to respond to terrorism, including federal court documents. However, numerous obstacles exist in studying these documents. These include the wide range of statutes used in prosecution, policy changes prohibiting access to older cases, along with time and money constraints when using the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system.

In response to these challenges, the ATS has become an alternative source of information on federal terrorism and domestic violent extremism cases. Beginning in 1987, the ATS began to collaborate with the FBI's Terrorism Research and Analysis Center to collect court documents on persons indicted for "terrorism or terrorism-related activities" as defined by the FBI. The ATS includes federal court documents collected in-person or by mail from U.S. District Courts, regional archives, and court documents purchased through PACER. Included in the ATS database are cases spanning a wide range of ideological views, documented legal outcomes, and defendant demographics.

In addition to creating the ATSCoRR, the current project included the following objectives:

• identifying, collecting, and coding data from existing and new cases included in the ATS
• soliciting feedback from potential end-users and other stakeholders
• building a web-based platform connected to relevant aspects of the ATS database
• integrating a map function to view relevant case-related information more efficiently

Study Design View help for Study Design

The project was conducted by the Terrorism Research Center (TRC), housed in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Arkansas. TRC students and staff reviewed existing cases in the ATS for inclusion in the ATSCoRR. Over 1,500 cases were reviewed, with 956 cases included in the final analysis. These 956 cases were linked to 1,627 defendants, and over 9,000 individual criminal counts.

The project team recruited potential users to beta-test the ATSCoRR and provide feedback. These included individuals from the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice National Security Division, the FBI, Arkansas State Fusion Center, National Counterterrorism Center, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the United States Military. Feedback was garnered through Qualtrics surveys, e-mail, virtual and in-person meetings, or by phone. The researchers integrated this feedback into the ATSCoRR and developed an integrated Qualtrics survey into its platform, to inform this project, and future research efforts.

Sample View help for Sample

All cases were derived from the ATS. Over 1,500 court cases and associated coding and case documents were reviewed by TRC students and staff. The project team loaded 956 completed court cases into ATSCoRR which included the prerequisite information on the cases, defendants, and counts. Approximately 400 additional court cases have been marked for future inclusion, but are pending finalization of court proceedings or collection and organization of case documents.

Time Method View help for Time Method

Universe View help for Universe

Court cases from 1978 to 2019 within the ATS database, which meet one or more of the following criteria: 1.) official designation by the FBI or other federal agency as a terrorism or terrorism-related indictment, 2.) investigation into the case by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, or 3.) publicly known case details align with the FBI definition of terrorism: "The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a Government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.".

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Response Rates View help for Response Rates

Not applicable

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none

Original Release Date View help for Original Release Date

2022-08-30

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Not applicable