Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Defining Terrorism: A Risky Business?, Helena Kiely

Dissertations

The Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 introduced definitions of terrorist activity, terrorist group and terrorist offences for the first time. These definitions, enacted subsequent to the Good Friday Agreement (1998), were examined to ascertain whether perspectives of crime control or risk influenced their formulation. Evidence of control perspectives were elicited within the definitions but themes of risk or actuarial justice were not found. The policy analysis established that the definitions which emerged through process of coerced policy convergence emanating from the Council of the European Union with Irish legislators having limited influence.