Human Rights&State crime

Question 1

Guantanamo Bay

Answer 1

US Prison
Men imprisoned even if innocent
Suspected terrorists
Captured by Afghan and Pakistani forces then sold to US
Prisoners tortured, force fed
Only allowed to speak to families four times a year

McLaughlin - political crime
Ross - indirect and direct actions of the state, and commission and omission

Question 2

Vietnam War

Answer 2

Used chemical bombs - Napalm and Agent orange
Painful death for victims
Devastating effects on agricultural and animals

McLaughlin - political and social crime
Ross - crimes in a country and between countries

Question 3

Holocaust

Answer 3

Millions of Jews killed
Forced to go to working camps

McLaughlin - political, social, economic, crimes by police
Ross - direct, commission

Question 4

Bangladesh Factories

Answer 4

Poor conditions
Working hours over 12 a day
Fire at factory - no compensation given
Small wages

McLaughlin - economic
Ross - omission

Question 5

Cohen - crimes of obedience

Answer 5

People go along with human rights abuse in certain circumstances:
Authorisation by the state
Routinisation of the abuse
Dehumanisation of the people/enemy so morality doesn’t exist

Question 6

Cohen - techniques of neutralism

Answer 6

Governments use the same techniques as people to explain/excuse their actions:

1. Denial of victim - they are terrorists etc
2. Denial of injury - it was self defence
3. Denial of responsibility - following orders
4. Condemning the condemners - they were picking on/victimising us
5. Appealing to higher loyalty - bigger cause and sacrifices are inevitable

Question 7

McLaughlin

Answer 7

Four categories of state crime:

1. Political - gain or hold onto power
2. Crimes by security/police forces - suppress opposition
3. Economic - related to money or working conditions
4. Social and cultural - racism, sexism, homophobia or other forms of prejudice

Question 8

Ross

Answer 8

Three categories of state crime:

1. Crimes in a country and crimes between countries
2. Direct and indirect actions of state
3. Commission (deliberate) and omission (not doing something)

Question 9

Kelman and Hamilton -

Features that produce crimes of obedience

Answer 9

Authorisation - acts are ordered or approved of by those in higher authority. Moral principles are replaced by a duty to obey
Routinisation - crimes become routine - people detach from it
Dehumanisation - ‘enemy of the state’ is portrayed as sub-human, usual principles of morality don’t apply

Question 10

Green and Ward -

Explanation of the crime

Answer 10

Three main approaches:
Integrated theory - must be a motive, opportunity to commit and failure of control to stop the crime
Obedience approach - structure of society&individuals factors combine - same as study of electric shocks
Clientism - corrupt governments granting favours in return for financial/political support to keep power

Question 11

Cambodian genocide

Answer 11

Khmer Rouge tried to get rid of capitalism
Killed 25% of population
Destroyed schools, hospitals, shops
Killed anyone supporting capitalism

McLoughlin - political, economic, social
Ross - direct and commission