1. בכמה מילים על עצמך ועל איך הגעת לאקדמיה
I served for thirty years as a practitioner in the world of Criminal Law Enforcement and Intelligence, working for the Israeli Police in Israel, Europe and North America. I have served in a variety of positions among them: Commander of the Intelligence and Operational Division of the National Unit for Exposing Severe, International and Organized Crime and Terror; Commander of the National Drug Unit; Head of Interpol.
During my service, I was intensely involved with the world of crime and criminals, and was struck by the fact that there seemed to be no qualitative difference between their motives and the decision-making processes when compared to those of the normative world. When I was the commander of the National Drug Unit I began writing my PhD. dissertation which attempted to explain criminal behavior by emphasizing the similarity between criminals and non-criminals, while focusing on situational factors, opportunities, alternatives, and deterrents. The dissertation provided me with the opportunity to test the theory of "Rational Choice" in the context of a real sample of offenders. My research findings showed that criminals involved in the heroin market, that fit the classic criminal stereotype, are similar to the overall population, both in their process of decision making as well as in their basic motivations. Similarly, I found that the heroin market behaved as any other market of legitimate types of merchandise.
During my years as a practitioner I was intrigued by the gap which exists between the world of practitioners and that of the criminology scholars. For that reason, I felt that enforcement and treatment programs for the most part have not been founded on evidence based empirical examination of the characteristics of the criminal world/ markets. In the past, criminology scholars, neglected hardcore policing issues (i.e. performance, effectiveness, and strategies). They have not focused enough on research which might provide practitioners with applicable and relevant findings and evidence in a language which could be easily understood and converted into practical tools for law enforcement.
When I joined the Hebrew University, I attempted together with my colleagues at Criminology Institute, to bridge this gap by assisting the Israeli National Police and the Israeli Security Agency to base strategies, on evidence based research.
In light of increasing terror threats around the world, and the extreme lack of evidence based models for the new role of "policing terrorism", little was known regarding what the anti-terrorism strategies and tactics are and what they should be. Attempting to answer the key issue – “Is there an effective “policing terror” model, and what does it include?” I am attempting, together with other colleagues, to answer whether terrorism is similar to regular crime, in that they are both primarily result from making rational situational choices, based on an evaluation of costs and anticipated benefits.
In my studies, together with colleagues at the Institute of Criminology, we attempt to systematically describe, measure, evaluate and assess the effectiveness of different police responses to terrorism (Feucht, T. E., Weisburd, D., Perry, S., Mock, L. F., & Hakimi, I. 2009; Perry, S. 2014; Perry, S., & Hasisi, B. 2015; Perry, S., & Jonathan-Zamir, T., 2015; Perry, S., Weisburd, D., & Hasisi, B. 2016; Weisburd, D., Jonathan T., & Perry S., 2009)
As the principal investigator in collaboration with Clarke, Newman and Apel, we have examined the situational prevention of terrorism. We have found that similar to regular crime, the use of physical barriers as a situational prevention strategy is effective in preventing terrorist attacks and that most terror attacks do not displace. This particular study is probably the first to examine the “Crime Displacement Theory” within the complex context of terrorism in an attempt to determine whether the use of physical barriers successfully reduced the occurrence of terrorist events and whether and to what extent terrorist events have displaced to other locations. This research examines the claim that terrorists are more determined than other criminals and therefore find ways to displace and overcome situational obstacles. In order to isolate the contribution of the barrier and other counter-terrorism tactics this study took advantage of the fact that the barrier between Israel and the Palestinian territories began operating in different segments gradually over a period of several years. It was also found that the barrier had a greater effect on fatal attacks (which apparently require more suitable situational opportunities) than non-lethal terrorist attacks. The study found that there was a greater than expected benefit in the significant reduction of attacks and deaths also on the Palestinian side of the fence known as the "benefits of diffusion effect " (Perry, S., Apel, R., Newman, G., and Clarke, R., 2016).
In a study which I conducted together with Prof. Hasisi we gathered information about run over attacks from closed and open sources. In this study, we found that there is no unique profile of the attacker yet have found a profile of the attack. (Perry, S., Hasisi, B., & Perry, G., 2017). In an ongoing study Prof. Hasisi and myself are also examining the entire population of approximately 300 stabbing events which occurred in Israel between 2000-2016.
In another ongoing study, I am mapping the entire “population” of attacks in Jerusalem between 2000-2016 (over 250 attacks including: explosives, shooting, stabbings, attacks with a deadly weapon, and run over attacks) in an attempt to identify terror “hot spots”.
As part of the EU PROTON grant together with Prof. Weisburd, Prof. Hasisi & Mr. Wolfowicz we are studying the new social media activities and traffic as predictors of terrorism support, involvement and occurrence. This project is examining the recruitment of individuals into terrorist activity through the internet. The Internet poses a new challenge in dealing with terrorism. It’s an extremely effective method for promoting rationalization and functions as a “significant other” for individuals involved in the process of radical socialization as part of the “criminal involvement” process – the decision to become a terrorist. At the same time, the internet offers technical support and training for individuals who will carry out the specific terrorist attack (“criminal event”). In our current study, we are attempting to identify these processes and are seeking effective models for intervention in order to defuse these radicalization processes.
Now in my second career I am attempting to advance my research and publications in the above-mentioned areas.
At this juncture in my career I am making a conscious effort to continue bridging the gap between these two worlds of practitioners and scholars in two different ways. Firstly, through my work at the Institute of Criminology, I am involved in educating practitioners in the field of criminology. Secondly, through my connections with practitioners I am engaging in and promoting research intended to benefit the world of the practitioner.
I hope to continue developing projects particularly in the area of policing terrorism, as well as more generally in the area of crime prevention. I also plan to continue integrating evidence based policy into police practice in Israel, both through research and through instruction at the Hebrew University.
1. בכמה מילים על עצמך ועל איך הגעת לאקדמיה
I served for thirty years as a practitioner in the world of Criminal Law Enforcement and Intelligence, working for the Israeli Police in Israel, Europe and North America. I have served in a variety of positions among them: Commander of the Intelligence and Operational Division of the National Unit for Exposing Severe, International and Organized Crime and Terror; Commander of the National Drug Unit; Head of Interpol.
During my service, I was intensely involved with the world of crime and criminals, and was struck by the fact that there seemed to be no qualitative difference between their motives and the decision-making processes when compared to those of the normative world. When I was the commander of the National Drug Unit I began writing my PhD. dissertation which attempted to explain criminal behavior by emphasizing the similarity between criminals and non-criminals, while focusing on situational factors, opportunities, alternatives, and deterrents. The dissertation provided me with the opportunity to test the theory of "Rational Choice" in the context of a real sample of offenders. My research findings showed that criminals involved in the heroin market, that fit the classic criminal stereotype, are similar to the overall population, both in their process of decision making as well as in their basic motivations. Similarly, I found that the heroin market behaved as any other market of legitimate types of merchandise.
During my years as a practitioner I was intrigued by the gap which exists between the world of practitioners and that of the criminology scholars. For that reason, I felt that enforcement and treatment programs for the most part have not been founded on evidence based empirical examination of the characteristics of the criminal world/ markets. In the past, criminology scholars, neglected hardcore policing issues (i.e. performance, effectiveness, and strategies). They have not focused enough on research which might provide practitioners with applicable and relevant findings and evidence in a language which could be easily understood and converted into practical tools for law enforcement.
When I joined the Hebrew University, I attempted together with my colleagues at Criminology Institute, to bridge this gap by assisting the Israeli National Police and the Israeli Security Agency to base strategies, on evidence based research.
In light of increasing terror threats around the world, and the extreme lack of evidence based models for the new role of "policing terrorism", little was known regarding what the anti-terrorism strategies and tactics are and what they should be. Attempting to answer the key issue – “Is there an effective “policing terror” model, and what does it include?” I am attempting, together with other colleagues, to answer whether terrorism is similar to regular crime, in that they are both primarily result from making rational situational choices, based on an evaluation of costs and anticipated benefits.
In my studies, together with colleagues at the Institute of Criminology, we attempt to systematically describe, measure, evaluate and assess the effectiveness of different police responses to terrorism (Feucht, T. E., Weisburd, D., Perry, S., Mock, L. F., & Hakimi, I. 2009; Perry, S. 2014; Perry, S., & Hasisi, B. 2015; Perry, S., & Jonathan-Zamir, T., 2015; Perry, S., Weisburd, D., & Hasisi, B. 2016; Weisburd, D., Jonathan T., & Perry S., 2009)
As the principal investigator in collaboration with Clarke, Newman and Apel, we have examined the situational prevention of terrorism. We have found that similar to regular crime, the use of physical barriers as a situational prevention strategy is effective in preventing terrorist attacks and that most terror attacks do not displace. This particular study is probably the first to examine the “Crime Displacement Theory” within the complex context of terrorism in an attempt to determine whether the use of physical barriers successfully reduced the occurrence of terrorist events and whether and to what extent terrorist events have displaced to other locations. This research examines the claim that terrorists are more determined than other criminals and therefore find ways to displace and overcome situational obstacles. In order to isolate the contribution of the barrier and other counter-terrorism tactics this study took advantage of the fact that the barrier between Israel and the Palestinian territories began operating in different segments gradually over a period of several years. It was also found that the barrier had a greater effect on fatal attacks (which apparently require more suitable situational opportunities) than non-lethal terrorist attacks. The study found that there was a greater than expected benefit in the significant reduction of attacks and deaths also on the Palestinian side of the fence known as the "benefits of diffusion effect " (Perry, S., Apel, R., Newman, G., and Clarke, R., 2016).
In a study which I conducted together with Prof. Hasisi we gathered information about run over attacks from closed and open sources. In this study, we found that there is no unique profile of the attacker yet have found a profile of the attack. (Perry, S., Hasisi, B., & Perry, G., 2017). In an ongoing study Prof. Hasisi and myself are also examining the entire population of approximately 300 stabbing events which occurred in Israel between 2000-2016.
In another ongoing study, I am mapping the entire “population” of attacks in Jerusalem between 2000-2016 (over 250 attacks including: explosives, shooting, stabbings, attacks with a deadly weapon, and run over attacks) in an attempt to identify terror “hot spots”.
As part of the EU PROTON grant together with Prof. Weisburd, Prof. Hasisi & Mr. Wolfowicz we are studying the new social media activities and traffic as predictors of terrorism support, involvement and occurrence. This project is examining the recruitment of individuals into terrorist activity through the internet. The Internet poses a new challenge in dealing with terrorism. It’s an extremely effective method for promoting rationalization and functions as a “significant other” for individuals involved in the process of radical socialization as part of the “criminal involvement” process – the decision to become a terrorist. At the same time, the internet offers technical support and training for individuals who will carry out the specific terrorist attack (“criminal event”). In our current study, we are attempting to identify these processes and are seeking effective models for intervention in order to defuse these radicalization processes.
Now in my second career I am attempting to advance my research and publications in the above-mentioned areas.
At this juncture in my career I am making a conscious effort to continue bridging the gap between these two worlds of practitioners and scholars in two different ways. Firstly, through my work at the Institute of Criminology, I am involved in educating practitioners in the field of criminology. Secondly, through my connections with practitioners I am engaging in and promoting research intended to benefit the world of the practitioner.
I hope to continue developing projects particularly in the area of policing terrorism, as well as more generally in the area of crime prevention. I also plan to continue integrating evidence based policy into police practice in Israel, both through research and through instruction at the Hebrew University.
