Crimes of the State Flashcards
What is state crime?
Crimes committed by a country to its own citizens or another country.
MARXISM - what did Ross (2000) claim are the 3 types of state crime?
Crimes of omission/commission.
Direct/indirect actions of state apparatus.
Crimes within one state/imposed by one on another.
MARXISM - Ross (2000) claimed crimes of omission and commission are types of state crime. What are these?
Omission - ignorance
Commission - state violence
MARXISM - Ross (2000) claimed direct and indirect actions of state apparatus are types of state crime. What are these?
Govt gives an order for something illegal to happen (direct) or indirectly make it happen (indirectly).
MARXISM - CASE STUDY.
Breifly outline the case study regarding the USA’s involvement in South America in the 1980s (Barak, 1991).
(3)
Raegan administration began dirty wars in South America, mainly due to leftists coming to power & causing fear of communist infiltration.
Thousands were killed in the name of fighting communism & the USA supported rebel groups.
USA has continued involvement in SA by intervening in leaders, often creating crime & corruption where leaders are undemocratically elected.
MARXISM - CASE STUDY.
How would Marxist view the USA’s involvement in South America in the 1980s?
It’s America’s own fault for involving themselves in South America and causing issues where they are not welcome.
MARXIST - Thombs and Whyte (2003) stated British criminologists haven’t paid attention to state corporation and crime because:
______ research is ‘__________’.
_______ for _______ from research to be ______ _________.
_______ to gain _____ to _________ groups; they can deny ________ etc.
a) British, ‘policy oriented’
b) difficult, conclusions, widely distributed
c) difficult, access, powerful, interviews
MARXIST - Thombs and Whyte (2003) explored why British criminologists haven’t paid attention to state corporation & crime.
One of these is how British research is ‘POLICY ORIENTED’ as ______ (ie the _________) request for ______ research & don’t want to face ______ from ________, so set their _______.
Agencies (ie govt) request for specific research & don’t want to face criticisms from researchers, so set their agenda.
MARXIST - Thombs and Whyte (2003) explored why British criminologists haven’t paid attention to state corporation and crime.
One of these is how it’s difficult to get conclusions from research to be widely distributed as ________ can only ______ work with ________ from the _________.
a) researchers
b) publish
c) permission
d) government
MARXIST - Thombs and Whyte (2003) explored why British criminologists haven’t paid attention to state corporation and crime.
One of these is how gaining access to powerful groups in society is difficult; they can deny interviews etc as it results in a _____ of ________ where ________ of the _____ can be more ______ ________.
a) lack
b) evidence
c) criticisms
d) state
e) easily refuted
MARXIST - What do Thombs and Whyte (2003) suggest regarding sociologists from non-democratic countries?
They may face threats if they seek to research areas which threaten the interests of the powerful.
MARXIST - ISSUES IN STATE CRIMES
What did Green and Ward (2004) state?
You can’t tell states they’ve been criminal as they’re responsible for making their own laws.
POSTMODERNIST - ISSUES IN STATE CRIMES
What do Postmodernists suggest about definitions for criminality? (varies, UN)
Can’t use concrete definitions as it varies between individuals & states.
Using the UN’s human rights declaration is a broad, better way of comparing criminality between countries.
MARXIST - ISSUES IN STATE CRIMES
What did Barak (1991) say about the western countries & state crime?
The US policy on welfare is a breach of human rights guidelines & is therefore criminal.
Using the UN’s human rights declaration, it’s clear more western countries are guilty of state crime.
MARXIST - ISSUES IN STATE CRIMES
What did Ross (2000) say about the omission of duty?
It can be criminal as ignoring human rights can be classed as a state crime.
However, it’s subjective to countries & individuals as they view guidelines differently.
What is a state?
A country or government.
What can state crime include?
3
Torture, imprisonment without trial or assassination.
There are 4 categories of state crime, according to Eugene McLaughlin (2004).
What are they?
Political crime
Crimes by security & police forces
Economic crimes
Social & cultural crimes
Eugene McLaughlin (2004) outlined 4 categories of state crime. One of these was political crime. Give an example of this.
Corruption or censorship.
Eugene McLaughlin (2004) outlined 4 categories of state crime. One of these was crimes by security & police forces. Give an example of this.
Genocide or torture.
Eugene McLaughlin (2004) outlined 4 categories of state crime. One of these was economic crimes. Give an example of this.
Violations of health and safety laws.
Eugene McLaughlin (2004) outlined 4 categories of state crime. One of these was SOCIAL & CULTURAL CRIMES. Give an example of this.
Institutional racism
According to MARXISTS, why is state crime so serious? (2)
It’s scale - millions suffer & cause issues to be widespread.
It’s betrayal of the law - states should set the law to ensure safety but can define their crime as normal & face no prosecution.
Defining any crime is a problem, including state crime.
What are the 5 alternative definitions of crime that sociologists have put forward?
Domestic law Social harm & zemiology Labelling & societal reaction International law Human rights
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is DOMESTIC LAW.
These are acts that are criminal by ____ and committed by _____ _______.
CRITICISMS: states can make ____ to ______ facing _________.
It leads to ________; having _________ laws in different ________ is a ____ idea.
a) law
b) state officials
c) laws
d) avoid
e) prosecution
f) inconsistencies
g) different
h) countries
i) bad
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is SOCIAL HARM and ZEMIOLOGY.
What is zemiology?
Studying harms.
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is SOCIAL HARM and ZEMIOLOGY.
This states recognising ____ done by states is not really against the ____. Some acts are ______ & some are _______ - states can _____ the system.
This creates a single ________ to apply to all _____, stopping them from _______ themselves by making ____ allowing them to behave _____.
a) harm
b) law
c) deviant
d) criminal
e) cheat
f) standard
g) states
h) excusing
i) laws
j) badly
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is SOCIAL HARM and ZEMIOLOGY.
What is zemiology?
Studying harms.
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is SOCIAL HARM and ZEMIOLOGY.
CRITICISMS: what level must _____ occur before it’s made a _____? There’s _____ of it making the _____ of study too _____.
Who decides what counts as _____? Arguably replaces state’s _______ definition of _____ with a _________ equally _______ definition of ______.
a) harm
b) crime
c) danger
f) field
g) wide
h) harm
i) arbitrary
j) crime
k) sociologist;s
j) arbitrary
l) crime
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is LABELLING and SOCIAL REACTION - Marxist.
This recognises state crime is _______ _________ so what’s ________ as state crime _____ over _____ & between ______.
_______ sociologists from imposing their own ________ when it may not be the _____ as what ________ (eg, _____) define it as.
a) socially constructed
b) regarded
c) varies
d) time
e) groups
f) prevents
g) definition
h) same
i) participants
j) victims
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is LABELLING and SOCIAL REACTION - Marxist.
CRITICISMS: while people may see something as ________, they may not want to call it _______; it is ____ well _______.
Who _______ what is _______?
Ignores how ______ impacts _______ as it may be _________ by _______ class ________.
a) harmful
b) not
c) criminal
e) not
f) defined
g) decides
h) criminal
i) media
j) opinions
k) manipulated
l) ruling
m) ideology
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is INTERNATIONAL LAW.
State crime can be defined as _______ international law that is set up by the ___, etc, using _______ accepted definitions.
International law is _______ to deal with _____ crime, unlike _______ law.
CRITICISMS: doesn’t ______ things like ________, only what’s ____ enough for the ______ to ______ about.
a) breaking
b) EU
c) globally
d) designed
e) state
f) domestic
g) assist
h) corruption
i) big
j) world
k) care
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is HUMAN RIGHTS.
The ____ published a definition of human rights and stated ‘state _____ can be defined as _______ basic human rights’.
Most common = state ______, state ______ or ________ exploitation by the state.
You can ______ countries into _______ human rights as they care about their humans rights ______.
a) UN
b) crime
c) violating
d) racism, sexism, economic exploitation
e) shame
f) respecting
g) image
One of the 5 alternative definitions of state crime that sociologists have put forward is HUMAN RIGHTS.
CRITICISM: while _____ violations of human rights (eg, ______) are clearly _______, some acts are not ________ criminal, such as _______ exploitation.
There are ___________ as to what _______ human rights.
a) gross
b) torture
c) criminal
d) self-evidently
e) economic
f) disagreements
g) violates
REASONS - Greene and Ward (2012) identified two main theories as to why states commit crime.
What are they?
Integrated theory & the obedience model.
REASONS - integrated theory (Greene & Ward 2012):
All ______ arises from ______ circumstances & involves _________ 3 factors, looking at how they _______ to generate _____ crimes:
__________ of _______.
__________ to commit ____.
_______ of _______ (________/__________).
a) crime
b) similar
c) integrating 3 factors
d) interact
e) state
f) motivations of offenders
g) opportunities to commit crime
h) failures of control (intentional/unintentional).
REASONS - What is the culture of denial, according to Cohen?
3 stages of states concealing & illegitimating crimes, called ‘The Spiral of Denial’:
- Claim nothing happened but human rights organisations etc show it did.
- Claim it’s not what it looks like.
- Justify actions to protect national security etc.
REASONS - authoritarian personality (esp in ________ times) causes state crime - it’s bad ______, not a bad _____.
It may also be _________ that causes someone to commit _____ crime. People may make _________ that they don’t ________ themselves & have a _____ of ________.
a) stressful
b) people
c) state
d) brain injury
e) state
f) judgements
g) believe
h) lack
i) empathy
REASONS - modernity causes state crime as it’s _______ ________ crime - it’s not _______ the _____ of the ______, but the ______ fact that ______ is ________.
a) structure
b) promotes
c) necessarily
d) fault
e) people
f) cultural
g) society
h) changing
REASONS - modernity is thought to cause state crime as society is changing. This relates to Marxism as they believe society is criminogenic due to:
______ of ______ - people are _________ from ______ due to their ______ so they don’t feel ________ for _______ as they’ve been _______ from it.
________ - making things _______/______ makes it less _______ so crime is ______ to ______ as they don’t _______ the _______.
The ______ of the _________ - ______, ______ methods were used to ______ a _____.
______ and _________ - people are ______ and ________ from what’s ________ (___________).
a) division of labour, disconnected, society, labour, responsible, social crime, removed
b) bureaucracy, repetitive/routine, shocking, crime, easier, commit, question, process
c) rationality, instrument, rational, efficient, achieve, goal
d) science, technology, fooled, removed, happening, scientific murder
REASONS - what are Matza’s techniques of neutralisation in relation to state crime?
(5)
States use the same techniques when justifying human rights violations that delinquents use when justifying deviant behaviour:
Denial of victim Denial of injury Denial of responsibility Condemning of condemners Appeal to higher loyalty
REASONS - what does Cohen say about neutralisation theory?
The techniques don’t deny what’s happened but negotiate or impose a different construction of what happened.
REASONS - explain how the social conditions of state crime impacts state crime.
Authorisation - you’re (eg police officers) obeying the state and they instruct you to do it.
Routinisation - once it happens once, it begins to feel normal and they become dettached.
Dehumanisation - the crime has been done so many times that the victim becomes subhuman so the usual principles of morality don’t apply.
REASONS - what is the My Lai massacre and what is it an example of?
Happened during the Vietnam war and 500 innocent people killed by American soldiers. The state covered it up for a year before it was released in the press.
It is an example of state crime in the form of genocide.
REASONS - what is the holocaust an example of?
State crime in the form of genocide.
REASONS - how does the My Lai massacre show how social conditions impact state crime?
Soldiers in harsh environment, under the authorisation of higher powers, the victims become dehumanised, murder had become routinised due to war.
REASONS - what do Functionalists believe?
There’s something wrong with the people, not society, as they may not have been socialised correctly.
REASONS - what are practical issues with state crime?
2
Cohen - governments cover up actions so it’s impossible to know exactly what’s happening or what has happened. It’s hard to be accurate about it.
Greene and Ward - it’s difficult and dangerous to research this. Even in democracy, if you probe too far, you may be prosecuted by the government.
REASONS - what are ethical issues with state crime?
2
Cohen - state crimes are carried out by powerful people who have the means to cover it up.
Tombs and Whyte - In democracies, states use their power to hide information or, in a dictatorship, will threaten you.
REASONS - what are theoretical issues with state crime?
Cohen - there are no statistics as is with most crimes, eg victim surveys. This is the ‘dark figure’ or known as ‘hidden state crime’.
When it is measured, it’s done with secondary data such as the media, who tend to focus more on developing countries committing state crime.
