Ch. 5 WCC Governmental Crime

Types of Governmental Crime

Governmental Crime, State Crime, State organized Crime, Political White Collar Crime

Governmental Crime

An umbrella term that is used to describe any crime that is committed by the government

Basic terms of governmental crime

1. Abuse of Power (The state assumes and exercises power it ought not to have)

2. Corruption (misuse of political office for material and political advantage)

3. Bribery (an inducement improperly influencing the performance of a public function meant to be gratuitously exercised)

4. Political Scandal (a scandal in which politicians or government officials engage in various illegal, corrupt, or unethical practices

in the anarchist view, the government or state is

inherently aggressive and unnecessary, they are a criminal enterprise

Government crime on an epic scale

Due to many wars and waging of (unjust) war, the state was seen as the largest and most efficient user of violence (Ukraine war)

pacifists regard war in any form as criminal while others have distinguished between ___

just and unjust wars

However, in the middle of the 19th century, many countries had begun to ratify agreements leaving out particular acts during the time of war which were entitled _____

war crimes

Forms of war crimes

1. The use of poisonous gases

2. Biological and chemical weapons

3. nuclear weapons

4. mines

5. indiscriminate attacks against civilians

6. carpet bombings

7. collateral damage to civilians

8. unnecessary attacks on dams, waterworks and nuclear stations

9. wanton destruction of property and pillage

views of governmental crime in the U.S.

war illegal under us law because Congress never specifically declared war, required by congress

Forms of state criminality

1. The criminal state

2. The repressive state

3. The corrupt state

4. The negligent state

Criminal state

any state successfully labeled as such by one or more other states that are either victorious over it or have the political power to impose such a label (Nazi Germany, Rwandan genocide)

The repressive state

does not go so far as waging a formal campaign of genocide, but it systematically deprives its citizens of fundamental human rights (North Korea, South Africa Under apartheid)

The corrupt state

a government used as an instrument to enrich its leadership (Ferdinand Marcos, Idi Amin, Robert Mugabe)

State negligence

a situation in which “crimes of omission” are committed, the state fails to prevent loss of human life, suffering, and deprivation that are in its power to prevent (U.S. knew about holocaust but did nothing)

State organized crime

acts defined by law as criminal and committed by state officials in pursuit of their job as representatives of the state

state organized crime is carried out on behalf of who

on behalf of a government entity, but it is very hard to tell the difference in the lines between individual and organizational benefit

Examples of state-organized crime

1. Watergate scandal during president Richard Nixon (White House)

2. Iran-Contra affair with reagan

3. Police Crime (use of force, George Floyd)

4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

5. FBI

Political White-collar crime

governmental or political party officials engaging in illegal and improper activity for personal gain rather than to advance some state goal

political white collar crime is also committed on behalf of who

political parties, rather than simply for personal gain, this can include economic enrichment or political advantage

____ became an important element in the financing of elections

Political action committees (PACS)

Super Pacs can raise

unlimited amount of money

Political white-collar crime in the Executive BRANCH

can occur at the federal level (Reagan administration, cabinet level departments), state level (governor’s departments and cabinets), local level (cities, towns)

various 19th century presidents were…

linked to bribery scandals (Eisenhower, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Clinton)

the Nixon administration is notorious with respect to…

governmental criminality and wrongdoing, perhaps more close Nixon associates went to prison than other presidents

more than 200 of which president’s administration were investigated for ethical or criminal misconduct?

Reagan

Political white collar crime in Legislative branch

members of the legislative branch of the government have always had a broad range of opportunities for corrupt dealing

some believe that Congress was less corrupt because…

its large number of members and diluted power (in 1795, several Georgia legislators acquired shares in a company seeking legislative action that would grant them Indian land

Types of State-Organized Criminality

state-organized crime orchestrated by..

1. The White House

2. Federal Investigative Agencies (FBI, CIA, IRS)

3. Police (Dirty Harry problem of illegal actions to gain information without warrants)

Political White Collar Crime can appear where?

1. In the political system (electoral process, electoral financing, and inter party system)

2. Executive Branch

3. Legislative Branch

4. Judicial Branch

Watergate and White house state-organized crime

Nixon White House was involved in improper and illegal political policing endeavors (wire taps of journalists and government officials (democrat), attempted to justify it on national security grounds, became a basis for nixon’s impeachment (exposure of white house plumbers, group of Nixon aids, cia agents and anti Castro fighters who broke into various offices to gain info)