globalisation and crime

Question 1

what is globalisation?

Answer 1

• refers to the increasing connectedness of societies
• links through mass media, trade and political organisations, movement of people
• the global criminal economy is worth about £1trillion per annum

Question 2

examples of globalisation and crime

Answer 2

• arms trafficking
• trafficking in nuclear materials
• smuggling of illegal immigrants - trafficking of women and children
• sex tourism
• trafficking in body parts
• cyber crimes
• international terrorism
• smuggling of legal goods
• trafficking of endangered species
• drugs trade

Question 3

BECK - global risk consciousness

Answer 3

• globalisation created new insecurities, a new mentality of risk consciousness and irrational fear
• increased movement of people - asylum seekers and illegal immigrants
• most of these fears are created by the media - moral panics
• negative stereotypes of immigrants as terrorists or scroungers
• led to tougher border controls - now have CCTV / thermal imaging to protect borders
• now an international cooperation - we’ve has ‘wars’ on terrorism - drug smuggling

Question 4

TAYLOR - globalisation, capitalism and crime

Answer 4

• argues global capitalism allows transnational organisations to move from country to country, seeking the cheapest workforce
• process of de-industrialisation in the west = large scale unemployment in britain / usa
• materialistic culture - the unemployed turn to crime
• large drug gangs

Question 5

HOBBS and DUNNINGHAM - ‘glocal’ organisations

Answer 5

• involves individuals acting as a ‘hub’ around which is a loose network form often involving illegal activities
• these new forms have global links i.e. drug smuggling operates on a ‘glocal’ system - locally based with global connections

Question 6

global organisations examples

Answer 6

INTERNATIONAL MONETRY FUND
- oversees monetary system of the world
- promotes exchange relations and stability among its member countries

WORLD BANK
- promotes economic development in underdeveloped countries by providing long-term financing for development projects

Question 7

ROTHE and FRIEDRICHS - crimes of globalisation

Answer 7

• look at role of international financial organisations
• dominated by richer countries
• poor countries take out loans with strict conditions
• argue IMF (international monetary fund) commits crime by imposing pro-capitalist structural programmes on poor countries
• require them to cut public spending on welfare / education
• causes large scale social problems

Question 8

CAIN - causing social harm

Answer 8

• policies allow western corporations to expand in poor countries and create opportunities for crime
• 1980s rwanda - programme created mass unemployment, fuelling divisions between ethnic groups
• created conditions for mass genocide
• argues IMF/world bank act like a global state - don’t break the law, but actions cause great social harm

Question 9

MISHA GLENNY - McMafia

Answer 9

• organisations that emerged after the fall of (communism - regulated prices)
• deregulation of the economy apart from natural resources (oil and diamonds) that remained cheap
• KGB bought oil/diamonds to sell abroad - became billionares
• used ruthless mafia style to protect wealth - made links with worldwide mafia
• these criminal organisations were vital for the entry of the new russian capitalist class into the world economy