An economy of choice? Terrorist decision-making and criminological rational choice theories reconsidered

This article first identifies the increasing centrality of practical and theoretical crime prevention approaches in tackling terrorism. Central features include the increased use of practical target hardening and rational choice models of trangressive action. Utilising cross-disciplinary research from criminology and terrorism studies, the efficacy of such strategies and their translation into counter-terrorism roles is assessed. It argues that such emphasis on opportunity structures and deterrence models is limited in its account of terrorist decision-making. This is because of many factors including the strong interplay between ideology, motivation and operational choice; the role of extraneous mitigating influences; and the need for theoretical approaches to accommodate evolving threats. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Ltd.