I believe that the reporting has


resulted in a social contagion effect, and induced a dozen copy-cat bomb threats since 2012. From the cases in May of this year, there were clear characteristics of imitation amongst the perpetrators. The effect of ‘more reports, more copy-cats’ is being realised; a similar effect could be seen in the analysis of nearly 20 cases of hijacking in mainland China in 1993. When one considers that the perpetrators of the recent spate of bomb threats were not carrying out terrorist attacks and usually had ridiculous motives, it is, perhaps, understandable that the judicial authorities have just penalised them mildly.


According to


China’s criminal laws, a person guilty of fabricating and spreading fake terrorist information can be sentenced to a fixed-term imprisonment of up to a maximum of five years, and even a fixed-term imprisonment of up to 15 years in more serious cases. But among all cases in recent years, only one offender received a four year jail sentence. It may well be that the public has formed the impression from the mass media that given that the penalties for threatening flights is rarely severe, the risk of issuing a threat is worth taking. In other words, the deterrent effect is not there.


The media reports have focussed on


concrete details of the threats, including the age, sex and other demographic characteristics of the perpetrators, as well as the airlines and flight numbers of the threatened flights. However, they have neglected to follow-up with information concerning the outcome of prosecutions, such as the conviction and sentencing of those found guilty. The reason may be that the audience or readership is only really interested in the act itself and, accordingly, the news reports have to be entertaining, like mystery novels. For the audience or readership, once the case has gone to court there is no suspense and the sentencing is somewhat bland. Bland, but important if it is to deter future perpetrators…providing the sentence is sufficient.


On the one hand, after each hoax


bomb threat, the mass media, aided by social networking, has played the role of ‘amplifier’ – even before official information is issued, various media agencies are reporting the details of the crime; on the other hand, the audiences’ psychological adventure is satisfied by watching, listening to or reading about hoax bomb reports. Meanwhile, individuals with a range of motives, from the serious to the ridiculous, have issued new hoax


bomb threats as a result of actively reading or viewing the details of other cases; these copy-cat incidents ensure that the vicious circle continues… In order to stop this vicious circle, the mass media needs to change its role from being only the ’amplifier’ to be an ‘amplifier’ and a deliverer of ’warning signs’. They should pay attention to the social contagion effect of reporting aviation security incidents, by increasing the reporting of perpetrators’ convictions and by informing the public of the harm caused by hoax bomb threats. There has already been some change in the media’s reporting of threats against aviation. On 22nd May, the media reported that the Ministry of Public Security has given notice of a crackdown on behaviours of fabricating and spreading fake terror information to threaten aviation security.


Offenders should


be treated as criminal offenders, and not be allowed to be punished by administrative detention according to public security regulations. Furthermore, the media also stressed that all suspects in recent cases had been arrested. With such responsible reporting, let us hope that the number of threats against aviation in China will decrease.


Advanced Technology Threat Detection Identify multiple target locations


International Security Standards


PD 6500i meets the world’s highest test certifi cations, including the following international airports:


Multi-Brand Compatibility


airports) (U.S. TSA


(European airports)


ECAC


(French airports)


STAC


(Spanish airports)


(Japanese airports)


CJIAC airports)


PD 6500i™ Walk-Through Metal Detector


Performance, protection, dependability – Garrett delivers on all.


Walk-Through, Hand-Held and Evidence Recovery Metal Detectors


800.234.6151 (U.S. and Canada) Tel: 1.972.494.6151 security@garrett.com


MADE IN THE USA


June 2013 Aviationsecurityinternational


PD 6500i is an “Approved Product for Homeland Security” under the SAFETY Act.


www.asi-mag.com 35


DfT (U.K.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52