1. law, govt and politics
2. espionage and intelligence
3. terrorism

AAAS Pacific Division
2015 San Francisco
Symposium Abstracts
08 Advancing the Forensic Psychological Research Nexus between Antiterrorism,
Extremism, and Violence against Police: A Lone Wolf Terrorist Perspective
Forensic Psychology in Evaluating a Lone Wolf Terrorist: An Analysis of the New York City Cop Killer, RONN
JOHNSON, J.Y. CINDY KIM*, ELIZABETH GRACE, and DERRICK YOUNG (School of Leadership and
Education Sciences, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San
Diego, CA 92110; [email protected]).
With growing concern for lone wolf terrorism and international security, forensic psychologists, law
enforcement, and citizens are seeking ways to develop an understanding to proactively respond to violent
extremism. With little consistency across geographic and political spectrums about what acts of violence should be
defined as terrorism, lone wolf terrorists can be described as those who carry out acts of violence individually and
independently from established organizations of terror. These types of terrorists are difficult to identify prior to their
attacks; therefore, pose a major security threat, both domestic and overseas. As a result, clinical mental health
professionals are involved in a key role during prevention, assessment, and intervention efforts as part of a
multidisciplinary team. Evaluations of past lone wolf attacks (e.g., police officers being attacked in New York City),
insight into the backgrounds (e.g., relationships and/or collaboration with organizations), and ideological
underpinnings can aid in understanding the motivations of these individuals. This presentation explores the forensic
psychological patterns exhibited by lone wolf terrorists, which can potentially aid in the development of the next
terrorism frontier.
A Forensic Psychological Analysis of Violence against Police Officers, RONN JOHNSON, ERIC JACOBS*, and
J.Y. CINDY KIM* (School of Leadership and Education Sciences, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program,
University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110; [email protected] ).
Police officers are tasked with the job of upholding the laws of society, both protecting and serving the citizens
of their districts. In addition to the challenges they face in their duty, police officers are also finding themselves
victims of violent, and sometimes fatal, attacks. At times these attacks are situational or a specific officer is targeted.
However, often these assaults are random acts of violence against law enforcement. According to the FBI, over
49,000 law enforcement officers are victims of line-of-duty assaults each year. This presentation will not only
explore the perpetrators of these attacks, but also discuss the motives and the logic utilized by the offenders.
Cultural, socioeconomic, and other factors will be examined through an empirically based framework. In addition,
this presentation will apply the research to suggestions pertaining to avenues that could allow us to identify and
impede assailants prior to an assault taking place. Prevention is paramount to this issue.
Self-Radicalization and the On-line Violent Extremist’s Use of the Internet in the Recruitment of Lone Wolf
Terrorists, RONN JOHNSON1*, JESSICA MUELLER2*, YASMIN SAADATZADEH1, and NERGIS
AKKAYA1 (1School of Leadership and Education Sciences, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program,
University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110; 2California School of Forensic Studies, Alliant
International University, 10455 Pomerado Rd, San Diego, CA 92123; [email protected]).
The increasing advancement in technology has made interactions between terrorist groups and susceptible
individuals much more frequent. Online violent extremists are defined as individuals who support or commit
ideologically motivated violence to further political goals. Often these online violent extremists create propaganda
and motivate vulnerable individuals to engage in lone wolf terrorism, acting without direction from the group. Lone
wolf terrorists have carried out some of the most prominent political assassinations and mass shootings. Researchers
argue that lone wolf terrorists have more psychopathology than the ordinary terrorist group member. Violent
extremists who utilize the Internet can influence these individuals to commit terrorist act but ultimately, lone wolves
operate by themselves. Guidance and instruction are provided for these individuals through the Internet, including
Facebook pages, chat rooms, and Internet forums. However, while searching these sites they are likely to be
discovered by law enforcement. This presentation will explore self-radicalization and recruitment of terrorists
through online violent extremists’ use of the Internet.
The Public’s Role in Antiterrorism Aimed at Violent Extremism, RONN JOHNSON1, JESSICA MUELLER2*,
SHACARAH HENRY1, and NEGRIS AKKAYA1 (1School of Leadership and Education Sciences, Clinical
Mental Health Counseling Program, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110; 2California
School of Forensic Studies, Alliant International University, 10455 Pomerado Rd, San Diego, CA 92123;
[email protected]).
There has been an increase in media attention towards terrorists and violent extremists. While government
officials are taking actions necessary for national security, the public is left with little instruction on what they can
do to protect both themselves and others. While the government can stop some terrorist attacks engaged in by
terrorist groups, lone wolf terrorists strike at random and leave little evidence to foresee such an attack. It is difficult
to identify someone about to commit an attack, especially since no single profile exists for violent extremists or lone
wolves. So how can the public gain a sense of safety? Researchers will evaluate four cases of lone wolf terrorism to
help determine what a citizen can do to prevent future terrorist attacks from occurring. Researchers will also
consider crime prevention strategies as a means of addressing the public’s role in preventing terrorist attacks by
violent extremists.
Forensic Psychological Risk Assessment for Online Violent Extremists, RONN JOHNSON, J.Y. CINDY KIM*,
MONICA LOPEZ, and SHACARAH HENRY (School of Leadership and Education Sciences, Clinical Mental
Health Counseling Program, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110;
[email protected]).
The Internet has been a valuable instrument in strengthening terrorist activities in modern times. The growing
presence of modern terrorism through the Internet during the recent decades has demonstrated the democratization
of communications by user-generated content and the awareness of terrorists and their potential for the public.
Similar to most websites, extremists disseminate their ideas and promote their causes, search for information,
connect, and communicate with like-minded people across great distances. Terrorists vary from the general public in
their use of the internet by aiming to build support and generate publicity (i.e., communicative), and those who
facilitate acts of terrorism (i.e., instrumental). In an effort to understand the strategies and ways to counter the online
radicalization, the ideas and practices utilized for making the emerging and effective approach through the Internet
by organizations and radical groups of extremism are examined. There are values in understanding the strategies
utilized to trigger the vulnerability and develop a certain socialization within terrorism. This forensic mental health
science presentation presents an empirically based conceptual framework on the issues that surround forensic
practices in recruitment of people for acts of terrorism and possible rating system to develop an assessment of risk.