State crime Flashcards
What is state crime?
Crime that is committed by the state, the rich and powerful.
Why is state crim e the ost serious form of crime? (3)
It happens on a large scale.
Mass victims
Costly
What are examples of state crime? (3)
War crimes
Torture
Genocide.
What is an example of a genocide?
Germany: Nazis prosecuted anyone who didn’t fit their ideal identity.
6 million Jewish people were murdered.
What is an example of a war crime?
Abu Ghraib Prison.
US army tortured prisoners physically and sexually.
They also killed prisoners.
Why do soldiers and police consent to war crimes and genocide?
Authoritarian personality.
Techniques of neutralisation.
Modern society.
What is the zemiology approach to state crime?
Defines state crime as including not just illegal acts but also acts that are legal but cause harm.
What is a criticism of the zemiology approach?
‘Harm’ is very vague and subject to interpretation.
What is the human rights approach?
Defines state crimeas the violation of people’s basic human rights by the state or its agents.
What is a criticism of the human rights approach?
There are disagreements as what counts as a human right.
Why is state crime hard to police? (2)
States commit crime in conjunction with corporate crimes.
Most corporate crime is ‘state-ititiated’ and state-facilitated’.
