Crime in contemporary society- state Flashcards
What is state crime?
A state crime is when the govt commits a criminal act that may be against either domestic or international law e.g. genocide, terrorism, torture, corruption or state corporation crime
-Human rights crimes are offences which violate human right according to international laws e.g. torture and laws classified a human right crimes
-To be classified as state crime they have to be condoned by state, in their authority and be built into part of their state policy
Who is the state?
States to included all bodies that seek to achieve a monopoly of the legitimate use of force in some substantial territory, weather they are not internationally recognized as state, this may affect whos liable or responsible for an act or what behaviours may be considered as state crime
Whats considered a human right or state crime?
Way in which many state crimes come about to exist are as a result of treaties, conventions and international agreements
The UN declaration of human rights sets out universal set of human rights which all humans are entitled to, any denial or rights are classed as human rights crime
McLaughin what are the 4 types of state crime?
Political
Security
Economic
Social and Cultural
McLaughlin- Political state crime?
Govt or state committing offences in context of political motivations
e.g. censorship: the repression of communication or informal
corruption: using official power or status for private interest
Collusion: an agreement to do something illegal that involves misleading an defrauding others
McLaughlin- Security state crime?
Acts committed by either the security and police forces
e.g torture, genocide or use of child soldiers
UN said in June 2013 they had the aim of having no child soldiers, but there are still 8 govt armies hat use children (250,000 soldiers)
McLaughlin- Economic state crime?
Offenses that the states liable for that are implicated in economic motivations may be not enforcing health and safety regulations (Bhopal Gas leak) or (Chinese famine when govt policy contributed to the death of 15 mill people but could be between 20-43 mill)
McLaughlin- Social and cultural state crime?
This refers to crime such as institutional racism, which are facilitated by the state as an actor
Stephen Lawrence in 1993 example of how police are racist as an institution and the state should be held accountable for such behaviour
How is state crime punished?
-International forces placing sanctions on state: the united nations responding to international concerns e.g. ending iraq and iran war
-Members of the state putting pressure on the govt to act: people in one nation pressure govt to put an act in place affecting another nation
-Rothe: despite the impact and harm caused by state crime they remained under researched and prosecuted
Reasons why state crimes underreported?
Laws vary across nation- whats legal in uk may not be legal elsewhere
Difficult to trace accountability: state corporation crime can be challenged on to separate the various layers of people and actions involved in crime
Reasons why state crimes underreported- roth?
How can state be a criminal act or when legally the state itself defines criminal behaviour
Reasons why state crimes underreported- Chomsky?
Argues that people don’t speak up, put pressure on states as they may not be aware they are happening
Secondly become education tells us not to question authority
What are the 4 explanations of state crime?
Authority personality
Culture of denial
Crimes of obedience
Modernity
explanations of state crime- Authority of personality Adorno?
The willingness to obey orders without question e.g. 2nd ww germans personal punctual
-Those carrying out genocides are psychopaths
explanations of state crime- Authority of personality Ardent?
Argue there’s psychotic difference between them and norma people
Adolf Eichmann was normal and not anti sematic
