State Crime

Question 1

How do Green and Ward define state crime?

Answer 1

An Illegal or deviant activity committed by or with state agencies

Question 2

What does Chambliss say about domestic law?

Answer 2

Acts defined by law as criminal and committed by state officials in pursuit of the job as representatives of the state e.g. MP’s expenses

Question 3

What are the 4 definitions of state crime?

Answer 3

1. Domestic law
2. Zemiolgy
3. International law
4. Human rights

Question 4

What does Michalowski suggest state crime includes?

Answer 4

Illegal acts and legally permissible acts whose consequences are similar to those of illegal acts in the harm they cause

Question 5

What does Hillyard suggest?

Answer 5

To replace the study of crime with zemiology regardless of if the act is against the law

Question 6

What do Rotherhithe and Mullins suggest?

Answer 6

State crime is an action by or on behalf of a state that violates international law and/ or a states own domestic law

Question 7

What does Schwendinger suggest state crime should be?

Answer 7

Defined as a violation of people’s basic human rights by the state and their agents

Question 8

What are the types of state crime?

Answer 8

1. Political crimes
2. Crimes by security, military and police
3. Economic crimes
4. Social and cultural crimes

Question 9

Who is the key thinker of state crime?

Answer 9

Eugene McLaughlin

Question 10

Political crimes

Answer 10

Censorship or Corruption
According to the corruption index there is a correlation between corruption, war and conflict and poverty

Question 11

Crimes by security, military and police

Answer 11

Genocide, torture, imprisonment without trial and disappearance of dissidents
1. Genocide - Rawanda 1994
2. IWT - Guantanamo Bay

Question 12

Economic crimes

Answer 12

Official violations of health and safety laws - Chernobyl disaster
Economic policies which cause harm to the population - austerity

Question 13

Social and cultural crimes

Answer 13

Institutional racism - police force targeting certain groups in society
Destruction of native cultures and heritage - ISIS destruction of churches and shrines, USA destruction of native indian sites and lands

Question 14

Culture of denial - cohen

Answer 14

Stage 1: it didn’t happen
Stage 2: if it did happen it’s something else
Stage 3: even if it is what you think it’s justified

Question 15

3 explanations for state crime

Answer 15

1. Integrated theory
2. Modernity
3. Social conditions

Question 16

Integrated theory - green and ward:

Answer 16

Crime arises from similar circumstances to those of other crimes like street crime.
Integrating three factors and how these factors interact generate state crime:
Motivation, opportunity and lack of controls

Question 17

Modernity - Bauman:

Answer 17

Certain features of modern society made the state crimes possible:
1. A division of labour - each person is responsible for one task
2. Bureaucratisation - normalisation of the act
3. Instrumental rationally - rational and efficient methods to achieve a goal
4. Science and technology - scientific and technological knowledge justify the means and motive

Question 18

Social controls - Kelman and Hamilton

Answer 18

1. Authorisation - acts are approved by those in power
2. Routinisation - turn the act into a routine behaviour
3. Dehumanisation - victims are portrayed as sub human so normal morality doesn’t apply