Globalisation and crime

What is globalisation?

increased interconnectedness throughout the world. This is in terms of media, culture, crime, democracy, economics and politics.

what do hyperglobalists think about globalisation?

They believe that globalisation is happening and it’s broadly a good thing, making society better.

what do pessimistic globalists think about globalisation?

they believe globalisation is happening and it’s having a negative effect on contemporary society, destroying local culture.

what do traditionalists think about globalisation?

they’re unconvinced that globalisation is happening

What do postmodernists think about globalisation?

they believe that globalisation is a significant feature of contemporary society

What impact has globalisation had on crime?

Globalisation has a significant impact on crime because crime is becoming increasingly global and because the effects of globalisation can have knock on effects on criminality.

How has the internet led to criminal behaviour?

cyber-crime, identity fraud, paedophiles, organised crime (easier to communicate with others), stalking

How has trans-national business led to criminal behaviour?

white collar crimes, tax invasion, green crime, money laundering

How was travel led to criminal behaviour?

human and drug trafficking, smuggling

What does Castell argue?

that there is now a global criminal economy worth over £1 trillion per annum.

Most common and expensive crimes:

illegal immigrants, trafficking children and women, trafficking body parts, cyber-crimes, green crimes, international terrorism and the drugs trade.

EVAL: traditionalists on smuggling/terrorism

Smuggling and terrorism are hardly new crimes. Traditionalists would argue the nature of crime is constantly changing and there is nothing unique about recent changes associated with globalisation.

Taylor: ‘Political economy of crime’

Globalisation has led to changes in the pattern and extent in crime. Encourages illegitimate opportunities

Hobbs and Dunningham: glocal organisations

The organisation of crime is linked to economic changes that are brought by globalisation. Crime works as a glocal (global and local) system - it is still locally based, but with global connections e.g. buying cocaine from Columbia but setting it in your hometown.

Green crime, why do we care/not care?

Need to protect the environment, hard for individuals to take action.

MJ Lynch’s definition of green crime

Green crime refers to crimes committed against the environment

What does it mean to call green criminologists transgressive criminologists?

Green criminologists are transgressive criminologists, not all of the activities they are interested in would necessary interest traditional criminologists. They look at activities that might harm, and not necessarily just those that break the law.

How does green crime link to globalisation?

Some scholars argue that globalisation is also an important factor as many environmental crimes cross national borders e.g. pollution

In the last decade, what was the rise in environmental crimes annually?

The last decade has seen a rise in environmental crimes by an annual growth rate of at least 5-7%.