Explaining state crime

Authoritarian personality:

Adorne et al: Authoritarian personality is one that includes a willingness to obey orders from superiors without question.

E.g.- Many Germans in WW2 due to punitive disciplinary socialisation patterns that were common at the time. 

It is often thought that people who carry out torture and genocide must be psychopaths however research shows they are similar to 'normal people'. 

Crimes of obedience:

Crime is usually defined as deviance from social norms. However, state crimes are crimes of conformity, since they require obedience to a higher level. 

Research suggests many people are willing to obey authority even when this involves harming others. Sociologists argue actions such as these are part of a role into which individualised are socialised. 

Example of how people are socialised into roles.

Green and Ward: In order to overcome norms against the use of cruelty, individuals such as torturers often need to be re-socialised, trained and exposed to…