In today's world, there are many organizations with different opinions on specific ideals. But some organizations will take the situation to extremes and do almost anything to prove that their vision is the right one. This extreme act to achieve a goal is known as terrorism, but what exactly is a formal definition of terrorism? Frank Schmalleger defines it as “[a] violent or life-threatening act, in violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any state, committed to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, to support of political or social objectives” (Criminal Justice Today, 2013 p.560). The American way of life and other aspects such as politics and the criminal justice system have been affected by terrorism in many ways throughout the twenty-first century. Terrorism is a broad category and there are different types of terrorism in the world. Two of the most dominant types of terrorism are domestic terrorism and international terrorism. Domestic terrorism is “the unlawful use of force or violence by an individual or group that is based and operates entirely within the United States and its territories, acts without foreign direction, and directs its activities against elements of the government or the US population” (Schmalleger, 2013 p.562). One of the most recent examples of domestic terrorism in the United States could be the Boston Marathon bombing, which occurred on April 15, 2013. An article written by the Los Angeles Times on April 24, 2013, eleven days after the attacks, describes what did the perpetrator and his brother and has information relating to their arrest and the unni... middle of paper ......rorism: a new organizing principle for American national security?. The Brookings Journal, 20, 4-7. Retrieved from: ://www.jstor.org/stable/20081044U.S. Immigration and customs controls. (n.d.). Anti-terrorism and criminal exploitation unit. Retrieved from: ttp://www.ice.gov/counterterrorism-criminal-exploitation/US Department of Homeland Security. (n.d.). National Terrorism Advisory System. Retrieved from: http://www.dhs.gov/topic/national-terrorism-advisory-systemU.S. Department of Homeland Security. (n.d.). Terrorism Prevention Overview. Retrieved from: http://www.dhs.gov/topic/preventing-terrorism-overviewU.S. Department of Justice. (n.d.). Fact Check: Terrorism and Terrorism-Related Prosecutions by the Bush Administration More than 300 after 9/11. Retrieved from: http://www.justice.gov/cjs/docs/terrorism-bush-admin.html