STATE CRIMES

Question 1

Define state crimes

Answer 1

Crimes that break international laws but are carried out by the state so go unpunished

Question 2

State and outline the four different types of state crimes

Answer 2

Political crimes-political curruption and censorship of the media.
Crimes by the police-crimes carried out by the police like deaths in police custody etc
Economic crimes-economic exploitation of the poor or violations of official safety laws.
Social and cultural crimes - institutional rasicm

Question 3

What does schwendinger argue

Answer 3

He argues that crime should be viewed as the violations of people’s basic human rights and that the state are committing crimes if they deny people of equal opportunities by practising imperialism and rasicm

Question 4

Give an example of 21st century state crime

Answer 4

The genocide in Rwanda whereby under rule of the Belgians the hutus people were brought to power over the Tutsis. This caused 80000 tutsis to be killed in a 100 day genocide. This would not have happened if Belgium did not provoke the power difference between the two tribes

Question 5

How do the state get away with commiting state crimes

Answer 5

Firstly, the state will deny it is happening. Then re define what is happening by claiming it was accidental for example and then go on to justify it. Often, where there is authorisation by the state, ordinary people will go along with human rights abuse under certain circumstances. These are called crimes of obedience