State Crime

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  • Created by: ecotts
  • Created on: 28-12-17 15:24
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  • State Crimes
    • The Nature and extent
      • The resource of some states make it possible for them to commit crime on a bigger scale than individuals
        • They have more ability than other institutions to use violence and force because of control of police and military
        • They define what is legal and what is illegal within their own jurisdiction
      • Green and Ward
        • They often maintain secrecy over their actions making it difficult to define state crime
        • Examples of state crime
          • Genocide
          • War Crimes
            • 120,000 civilians were killed in the invasion in Iraq in 2003
          • Torture and imprisonment
            • Amnesty international found 111 counties use torture and ill-punishment in 2009
          • Grand Corruption
          • Violence of police
    • McLaughlin
      • Divides state crime into 4 sections
        • Political crimes
          • Rigging elections
        • Economic crimes
          • Failing to pay employees the minimal wage
        • Social and Cultural crimes
          • Mistreatment of ethnic minorities
        • Crimes of the police and security forces
          • `torture, illegal detentions and unjustified violence
    • Defining State Crimes
      • International Laws
        • It is open to interpretation and difficult to impose
        • It has only been partly successful to inforce international laws
          • because not all countries sign the agreement
          • Only deals with most serious 'crimes against humanity'
      • Human Rights
        • Its provides a basis when determining what is state crime and not
          • There is a certain standard against which behaviour can be judged, regardless of legalisation in individual countries
    • Culture of Denial
      • Cohen
        • State crimes are a gross violation of human rights against international law and national law causing harm to humans
      • The state develop a culture of denial to respond to the issues of abuse (crimes)
        • Stage 1
          • Claim the event did not happen which is challenged by non-governmentalorganisationslike amnesty international
          • As well as investigative reporters, and victims as they could provide evidence that shows the issue did occur
        • Stage 2
          • State tries to redefine what has taken place as being something other than human rights abuse
          • They may argue it was by accident
        • Stage 3
          • State argues that even if the abuse occurred, it was justified as it prevented greater harm
          • This was to maintain national security
            • Therefore it uses Matza and Skyes "techniques of neutralisation" to make the abuse seem more acceptable without going against the idea that H/A is wrong

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