Situational crime prevention as a counter-terrorism method

Terrorism, as a form of political violence, has emerged as one of the most important elements threatening security since the beginning of human history. Terrorism is a complex and interdisciplinary concept. It is included in the research field of many science fields, including Psychology, Political Science, Sociology, International Relations and Criminology. The complex nature of terrorism also makes it difficult to fight it. There are multiple methods of combating terrorism. However, recently, the number of studies on terrorism as a form of crime has been increasing. In this context, in this study, a different method of struggle has been tried to be analyzed based on the fact that the concept of terrorism is ultimately a form of crime without detaching it from its political context. This method, known as the situational crime prevention method, reveals that situational factors such as opportunity are very important factors that affect the process of committing a terrorist act. It provides a roadmap for understanding why certain targets, weapons and vehicles are frequently used by terrorists. In the study, academic studies that deal with situational crime prevention together with terrorism are examined and exemplified. In this study, which used document analysis method as qualitative research methods, besides the books, articles and theses of the leading academicians and researchers in the field, news sites and open sources were used. It has been concluded that the elements of opportunity are very important in understanding and combating terrorism. In this context, it has been tried to convey how situational crime prevention will contribute to the fight against terrorism. Critical aspects of situational crime prevention are also discussed in order to ensure that the study is multifaceted.