Criminological Characteristics of Terrorism-Related Crimes and Measures to Prevent Them
Babayan S.L., Khroyan K.P. Criminological characteristics of terrorism-related crimes and measures to prevent them. Penitentiary Science, 2026, vol. 20, no. 2 (74), pp. 171–179. doi 10.46741/2713-2811.2026.74.2.007.
the article is devoted to the criminological analysis of terrorist crimes in the context
of the growth of terrorist activity and digitalization of society. The article considers international legal
and national foundations of countering terrorism, statistical indicators, and personal characteristics
of subjects of terrorist activity. Purpose: to conduct a comprehensive criminological analysis of
terrorism-related crimes, identify their specific features, development trends, determinants, and
develop recommendations for improving their prevention system by expanding the institution of
voluntary renunciation of criminal purposes and special grounds for exemption from criminal liability.
Methods: historical, comparative law, statistical, legal methods, methods of interpretation of legal
norms, analysis of international and national legislation, study of doctrinal positions. Results: the
analysis of statistical data has revealed a steady increase in the number of terrorism-related crimes
in Russia, due to the increasing influence of digital technologies on recruitment and radicalization
through social networks and messengers. The criminological portrait of the terrorist includes young
people under the age of 25 or people aged 30-50 with low socio-economic status and aggressive
destructive thinking. Inchoate crimes articles 205.1–205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian
Federation excludes the use of voluntary refusal with rehabilitative consequences, creating inequality
before the law in comparison with Article 205 and encouraging more dangerous crimes. Conclusions:
it is advisable to eliminate conflicts between general rules of the institution of voluntary refusal and
special grounds for exemption from criminal liability, consolidating the rehabilitative nature of the
latter with timely renunciation of criminal activity. It seems that special grounds for release should
become a tool for preventive anti-terrorist policy aimed at early detection of threats, encouraging
withdrawal from terrorist organizations and personal resocialization.
Keywords: characterization of the terrorist’s personality; terrorism-related crimes; countering terrorism; social networks; determinants of terrorism; voluntary renunciation of criminal purposes; exemption from criminal liability.
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