International Terrorism Defendants Receive Longer Sentences than Domestic Counterparts, Study Finds

Despite Same Crimes, Domestic Terrorists Receive Lesser Sentences Amid Differences in Law and Implementation Biases

A first-time study conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland shows harsher sentencing for international terrorism defendants compared to domestic ones, despite committing similar crimes.
Analyzed federal criminal cases between 2014 and 2019 reveal disparities are due to factors including the charges chosen by federal prosecutors, existing laws, and sentencing decisions by judges.
In cases involving planned violent attacks that were foiled or unsuccessful, international defendants received an average prison sentence of 11.2 years, compared with 1.6 years for domestic defendants.
Even post-prison supervision shows discrepancies, with domestic cases getting average supervision of 3.5 years, compared to more than 19 years for international terrorism defendants, despite similar recidivism rates.
The application of terrorism-specific charges and sentencing enhancements are predominantly in international cases, reflecting an inherent bias in the criminal justice system's treatment of international and domestic terrorism.