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National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)

Intelligence-Led Policing As a Framework for Responding to Terrorism

Media coverage of police misconduct and attitudes toward police

Surveying American State Police Agencies About Terrorism Threats, Terrorism Sources, and Terrorism Definitions

Steven M. Chermak is a professor in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. Dr. Chermak is also a lead investigator affiliated with The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terror (START). Dr. Chermak’s terrorism research has focused on four general areas. First, he studies the criminal and terrorist activities of domestic terrorists. Projects include understanding patterns of violence of far right, far left, and al-Qaeda inspired extremists, documenting how lone wolf attacks are different than group-inspired terrorist attacks, and examining the characteristics of foiled terrorist plots. Second, he studies the intelligence practices of State, Local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies. Third, he is studying the sources of funding used by terrorist organizations, with a particular emphasis on examining their use of counterfeited products. This research looks at what crimes terrorist organizations commit to fund their activities, how they are networked to other organizations or individuals to commit such acts, and assesses the impacts of these crimes. Finally, he has studied the media’s role in relation to crime and terrorism issues.

Dr. Chermak’s research has been funded by the Department of Homeland Security, National Institute of Justice, and the Michigan State Police. He has published two books, seven books and numerous research reports. His research has appeared in a number of journals including Journal of Quantitative Criminology, Criminology and Public Policy, Justice Quarterly, Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management, Journal of Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice Policy Review, and the Journal of Crime, Conflict, and the Media. Before joining the faculty at Michigan State University in 2005, Dr. Chermak was faculty member at Indiana University in Bloomington from 1992-2005.

School Violence

White Supremacists

Crime

Media Coverage

Domestic Terrorism

19 years after 9/11, Americans continue to fear foreign extremists and underplay the dangers of domestic terrorism

Threats of violent Islamist and far-right extremism: What does the research say?

SHSU study explores honor crimes in the U.S.

The Orlando shooting: exploring the link between hate crimes and terrorism

Assata Shakur was convicted of murder. Is she a terrorist?

Faculty conversations: Steve Chermak

the-reaction-to-arresting-capitol-hill-rioters-our-experts-are-being-sought-out-by-leading-media-to-explain

Professor of Criminal Justice

 It’s been an almost-weekly occurrence since the January 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol buildings in Washington.  Authorities are meticulously tracking down and arresting those who wreaked havoc on the halls of the country’s democracy.

With each arrest comes media coverage – and with that, the attention might be creating a brewing storm further dividing those on the far left and right of American politics.

Recently, Steven Chermak, a professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University was interview by the Washington Post for a piece covering the ‘snowball effect’ of these arrests across the political spectrum.

“It is ratcheting up and then getting a response and a back-and-forth,” said Steven Chermak, a professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University. Political violence remains far more common a feature of far-right groups than of those on the far left, according to law enforcement officials and data compiled by those who study extremist violence. Federal authorities have repeatedly described homegrown, right-wing extremists as the most urgent terrorism threat facing the nation. But high-profile right-wing attacks could be spurring far-left extremists to respond in kind, Chermak said. And cases like Baker’s can have a snowball effect, he said: Articles about Baker have been circulated online by members of the Proud Boys, a far-right group with a history of violence, who cite his arrest as evidence that left-wing activists are plotting against them. “An important part of convincing people that there’s an issue and there’s truth to what you’re saying is to home in on an example or home in on a particular case, and then that case becomes representative of a larger problem,” Chermak said. “It’s something to hang your hat on.”  February 14 - Washington Post



 This emerging issue is one we can expect more to see as the investigations, arrests and eventual trials play out. And, if you’re a journalist looking to cover this important topic – then let our experts help.

Steven Chermak is a professor in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. Dr. Chermak is also a lead investigator affiliated with The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terror (START).  If you’re looking to talk to an expert or conduct an interview – simply click on his icon now to arrange a time today.



The reaction to arresting Capitol Hill rioters – our experts are being sought out by leading media to explain

Steve Chermak, professor in the School of Criminal Justice, talks about his research of domestic terrorism and hate groups.

To read more, go to http://news.msu.edu/story/9956

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