Globalisation and Crime

Question 1

What are the 6 explanations explaining link between globalisation and crime?

Answer 1

1) increase in organised crime
2) more opportunities for corporate crime
3) widened wealth inequality
4) supply and demand of illegal produce
5) spread of materialistic values
6) heightened risk consciousness in the West

Question 2

According to Hobbs and Dunningham, how has globalised causes organised crime to increase? (link between globalisation and crime)

Answer 2

Globalisation has allowed organised criminals to expand their ‘empires’ with many established criminal organisations. They can take advantage of global markets. For example, organisations such as the Italian-American Mafia now operate beyond their borders of their country of origin.
Globalisation has also lead to new organised criminal groups such as Central and South American Cartels

Question 3

According to Hobbs and Dunningham, how are organised criminal markets ‘glocal’?

Answer 3

Crimes that occur on a global level are affected by issues on a local level. For example, the drug trade which operated internationally are grown in countries with minimal opportunity meaning local issues (poverty), allows people to join global crime links

Question 4

Evaluation of the view that globalisation has caused an increase in organised crime?

Answer 4

Global crime networks have been in existence a lot longer than they theorists imply.

Question 5

According to Lash and Urry, how has globalisation created more opportunities for white collar and corporate crime? (link between globalisation and crime)

Answer 5

Points out that 21st century capitalism is much less regulated than it was in the past. Business operate on large scales so it becomes harder for laws to regulate these actions. This is known as ‘disorganised capitalism’, big corporations are more likely to take advantage of workers in poorer countries, putting profit before pay. This leads to exploitative pay and conditions. HAs resulted in cases of serious health and safety breaches in factories in deprived countries.

Question 6

Evaluation of the view that globalisation has lead to an increase in corporate crime?

Answer 6

White collar and global crimes have always been a problem

Question 7

According to Taylor, how has globalisation widened wealth inequalities in the UK?

Answer 7

The nature of global capitalism has lead to a growing gap between the rich and the poor, especially in Western societies. Deindustrialization has lead to poor communities in the West desolate and turning to crime to survive. For example, in LA in the USA, deindustralisation of the ship building industry has lead to 10,000 men being involved in crime

Question 8

Evaluation of the view that globalisation has widened wealth inequality?

Answer 8

Policies can be used to stop this

Question 9

According to sociologists, how has globalisation increased the supply and demand for illegal products?

Answer 9

Globalisation has opened a gateway to a dark world. Typically, the ‘demand’ comes from affluent societies and the expectation is that poorer societies will fulfill such demands with their ‘supply’. For example, the sex trade, drug dealing, arms trade e.c.t.

Question 10

Evaluation of the view that globalisation has increased supply and demand for illegal products?

Answer 10

‘illicit’ products have always existed but nowadays people are more aware about what they can access

Question 11

According to sociologists, how has globalisation lead to a spread of materialistic values to all parts of the world?

Answer 11

People in the west have been exposed to consumerist and materialistic values for a long time, but thanks to globalisation this has spread all over the world. Those in deprived countries are being exposed to the ‘good life’ enjoyed by those in the West. This may drive people into lucrative crime such as organised crime networks which trade arms such as drugs and arms. The growth of social media has lead to an increase in cyber crime, where people become friendly towards those in the West before scamming them for money.

Question 12

Evaluation of the view that globalisation has spread materialistic values to all parts of the world?

Answer 12

Other factors that influence crime in developing countries, such as poverty

Question 13

According to Beck, how has globalisation lead to a heightened risk-consciousness in the West?

Answer 13

Globalisation has made society more fearful. The global media network has made us more risk-conciouss and we are more aware to our safety and wellbeing. However, the British media emphasises crime is committed by ‘other’ people, blaming immigrants and minorities for crime committed in this country. This leads to a negative reaction towards minority communities, leading to more scrutiny over them by authorities

Question 14

Evaluation of the view that globalisation has lead to a heightened risk conciouss in the West?

Answer 14

Realists argue that such fears are a rational response to real threats that exist in society

Question 15

What are the two sociological definitions of Green Crime?

Answer 15

• traditional criminological approaches

- green criminological approaches

Question 16

According to Situ and Emmons, what is traditional criminology and how does it explain Green Crime?

Answer 16

Traditional criminology focusses on the study actions which breach domestic or international law. Green crime is therefore any action which damage the environment in a way that breaks the law. For harm to the environment to be a criminal offence, it must therefore be a law

Question 17

Evaluation of the traditional criminological approach for explaining Green crime?

Answer 17

Laws regarding environmental damage are often sub-standard, leading to businesses exploiting

Question 18

According to White, what is Green Criminology and how does it explain Green Crime?

Answer 18

Argues that any action which harms the physical environment is classed as a green crime, irrespective of the law. Points out that most environmental damage is triggered by human activity, often having devastating consequences. Green Criminology is therefore classed as transgressive, in that it recognises actions to be criminal even if the law fails to do so. Also acknowledges that harm to the environment can happen in multiple countries

Question 19

Evaluation of the Green Criminology approach for explaining green crime?

Answer 19

Fails to explain the difference between deliberate harm and accidental

Question 20

What are the 4 reasons as to why Green Crime emerges?

Answer 20

• late modernity & global risk society
• marxism and global capitalism
• de-labelling of Green Crime
• anthropocentrism

Question 21

According to Beck, how does green crime occur due to late modernity and a global risk society?

Answer 21

We live in an era of late modernity which is characterised by trade links. This has lead to an increase in damage because humans nowadays are actively putting the planet at risk. E.g. growing population, means more farming, increasingly materialistic e.c.t

Question 22

According to Beck, what is the global risk society? (late modernity, why green crime occurs)

Answer 22

Most threats to eco-systems are done so by humans and that our actions are contributing towards a global risk society, in which humans’ actions cause damage. For example, in 2010 Russia was subject to a severe heatwave which killed crops which lead to less exports and civil unrest in Mozambique

Question 23

Evaluation of the view that the era of late-modernity and a global risk society has lead to green crime?

Answer 23

Likely that technology will save us

Question 24

According to White, how does green crime occur due to marxism and global capitalism?

Answer 24

Global capitalist systems are responsible for a significant amount of green crime. This is because businesses are responsible for the mass production and transportation of products around the world. Green crime is ‘crime of the powerful;’ brought about by crimogenic capitalism and they work together to ensure their actions are not illegal

Question 25

According to Snider, how does green crime occur due to marxism and global capitalism?

Answer 25

Believes that there are environmental laws but these are rarely enforced. This is because governments work in collaboration with firms to protect their own profit and interests

Question 26

Evaluation of the view that green crime occurs due to marxism and global capitalism?

Answer 26

More steps and being taken to ensure planet is protected

Question 27

According to Sutherland, how does green crime occur due to it being de-labelled?

Answer 27

Environmental damage does not carry the same amount of stigma as crimes committed against human beings. This is because people do not recognise the consequences of their actions. People do not understand the victims associated with green crime. For example, cars and pollution. Due to the lack of stigma, crimes against the environment are other rarely punished, so people have no sense of deterrence when it comes to committing the offence.

Question 28

Evaluation of the view that green crime occurs due to it being de-labelled?

Answer 28

Cleary evidence to suggest that environmental crimes are becoming more stigmatized

Question 29

According to White, how does green crime occur due to anthropocentrism?

Answer 29

Crimes happen against the environment because people have an anthropocentric view of the world. This means that human beings regard their own animal to be the most important thing on the planet, so put their own needs above that of the planet. This means that people do not think of their actions and how it could impact the plane

Question 30

According to Wolf, how does green crime occur due to anthropocentrism?

Answer 30

Green crime is motivated by the same desires as many other offences. People act in a way that maximised individual success. Could be due to relative deprivation and individualism, as the expense of the environment

Question 31

Evaluation of the view that green crime occurring is due to anthropocentrism?

Answer 31

People do act in a way to protect the planet

Question 32

What are the 4 types of green crime?

Answer 32

• air pollution
• deforestation
• animal abuse
• water pollution