Conceptualizing the Stabiliyt of Terrorist/Gang Members: Psychological Constructs and Rehabilitation

Charles A. Heidbreder, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

Abstract

Eric Holder, United States Attorney General, announced that five members of the Guantanamo Bay detainees will be tried in civilian courts--most of them in New York. This has resulted in political debate amongst the pros and cons of such a decision. However, a central issue is over-looked. What happens to those detainees that will not be imprisoned for life, do we just release them to their home countries? The United States cannot try, convict, and imprison every GITMO detainee for participating in combat. Therefore, this paper asks the simple question, is there a rehabilitation program that can be affective in re-educating detainees to promote pro-social behavior amongst prisoners of war?

Saudi Arabia has institutionalized a rehabilitation program, this paper will look at the effectiveness and efficiency of the Saudi program. In addition, the develop of an effective program will presented, which can curve the anti-social behavior of terrorist/fundamentalists. This program, which has not been institutionlized, can be affective in ensuring that those suspects at GITMO, who are released, can be positive members of society and no longer pose a threat to the West.