Globalisation and Crime

Question 1

What is globalisation?

Answer 1

Ongoing process involving interconnected changes in economic, cultural, social, and political spheres, integrating nations, regions, communities, and even isolated places.

Question 2

What does Held say about the globalisation of crime?

Answer 2

It is the growing interconnectedness of crime across national borders, sometimes referred to as transnational organised crime.

Question 3

What does Castells argue about the global criminal economy?

Answer 3

There is now a global criminal economy of over £1 trillion per annum.

Question 4

How has the drugs trade been affected by globalisation?

Answer 4

Worth over $300 billion per year; drugs cultivated in impoverished countries (Colombia, Peru, Afghanistan) as low investment/high return trade; primarily sold in the Western world.

Question 5

How has human trafficking been affected by globalisation?

Answer 5

Includes trafficking of women, children, illegal immigrants, and human organs; over 2000 organs trafficked per year; over half a million people trafficked to Western Europe annually.

Question 6

How has financial crime been affected by globalisation?

Answer 6

Money laundering easier due to relaxed international banking laws; criminals can move money offshore or to countries where law enforcement cannot access accounts.

Question 7

How has cyber crime been affected by globalisation?

Answer 7

Cybercrime includes cyber fraud, theft, terrorism, and violence; transnational in nature as hackers can be in one country while attacking systems in another.

Question 8

What is transnational organised crime?

Answer 8

Organised crime networks based on economic links; Glenny calls them “McMafia”; old mafias (Italian, Triads) have dispersed globally, e.g., to the USA.

Question 9

How has terrorism been affected by globalisation?

Answer 9

Technology allows international communication, online radicalisation, and cultivation of in-state members.

Question 10

How does individualism influence crime?

Answer 10

Bauman: Growing individualism and consumer culture mean people weigh costs/benefits to maximise personal rewards; can lead to criminal activity to achieve unobtainable lifestyles.

Question 11

How do opportunities created by globalisation influence crime?

Answer 11

Technological and communication advancements, including the Dark Web, allow new types of crime and committing crimes across borders.

Question 12

How does disorganised capitalism influence crime?

Answer 12

Lash & Urry: Deregulation and fewer state controls lead corporations to act transnationally; Taylor: increased job insecurity, less social cohesion, fewer job opportunities → higher crime rates.

Question 13

How does risk society influence crime?

Answer 13

Beck: Global instability makes people risk-conscious; media amplifies fears leading to hate crimes and racially motivated crimes.

Question 14

What problems does globalisation create for policing?

Answer 14

Crimes are transnational, requiring multi-agency cooperation; different laws/jurisdictions make it hard to prosecute.

Question 15

How does globalisation affect inequality and crime?

Answer 15

Taylor: Rich financial investors and transnational corporations benefit (“winners”); disadvantaged workers face insecurity and relative deprivation, feeding criminal behaviour.

Question 16

Strengths of the globalisation and crime approach?

Answer 16

Focuses on newest, most serious crimes

Promotes global connectedness among law enforcement agencies.

Question 17

Weaknesses of the globalisation and crime approach?

Answer 17

1. Hard to investigate due to secrecy and global nature
2. Relies on secondary sources; primary research dangerous
3. Impact easily exaggerated