Explaining State crime: Flashcards
what are the 4 ways to explain state crime?
integrated theory
crimes of obedience
modernity
culture of denial
what is the integrated theory - green and ward
arise from other factors similar to crime such as street crime
opportunity
motivation of offender
lack of social control
what are crimes of obedience according to Kelman and Hamilton
authorisation - acts are approved by those in positions of power which overrides normal moral rules as they have a duty to obey i.e. Hitler told Nazis to kill the jews
dehumanisation - they are presented as subhuman so normal rules do not apply - jews
routinisation -turns it into a routine action so they become undetached
Swan argues this creates ‘enclaves of barbarianism which allows people to enter them and commit heinous acts where normal moral rules do not apply, and can leave and return to their everyday life where moral rules apply again i.e. nazis can commit heinous acts in the concentration camps then leave and go back to their normal lives
how does bauman argue that state crimes are made possible?
through modernity, features of a modern society allow the state to commit crime
a division of labour - no one is full responsible
bureacratisation = normalisation as it is mundane and repetitive so dehumanise the victim into a task
instrumental rationality - rational and efficient methods to achieve a goal business = profit holcaust = murder
science and technology - justify means and motive
what is a culture of denial
states have got better at justifying or hiding their crimes as a result of the human rights movement
what does Cohen say about a culture of denial?
spiral of state denial
stage 1 - it didnt happen
stage 2 - if it did happen, it was something else
stage 3 - we had to do it because it was justified
What is Matza and Sykes neutralisation theory?
justifying the act through:
denial of the victim, injury, responsibility.
condemning the condemners
appeal to higher loyalty
