review

Final Exam Review: Race, Crime, Colonialism & Justice in Canada

Race as Social Construct

  • Definition: Race is not a biological concept but a social construct.

  • Historical Context: Scientific racism was used to justify colonialism and slavery.

  • Institutional Embedding: The concept of race became embedded within various institutions, affecting social dynamics and policy implementations.

Colonialism & Justice

  • Legal Privilege: Legal systems historically favored white settlers, marginalizing Indigenous populations.

  • Criminal Justice Impact: The criminal justice system has played a role in dispossessing Indigenous peoples of their lands and rights.

  • Ongoing Effects: The ramifications of colonial practices continue to affect Indigenous communities in modern-day Canada.

Racialisation Today

  • Definition: Racialisation is the process where social meanings are assigned to groups based on perceived racial characteristics.

  • Manifestations: It can be observed in various spheres including media representation, policing practices, and immigration policies.

  • Personal Reflection: Individuals are encouraged to reflect on their lived experiences as they relate to issues of race and racialisation.

Police & Racial Profiling

  • Carding Practices: Carding and other forms of surveillance disproportionately target racialized groups.

  • Statistics: There is a noted overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous individuals in police encounters.

  • Critical Inquiry: These practices raise questions about the efficacy and ethics of policing, as well as the potential need for alternatives.

Intersectionality

  • Intersecting Identities: The concept of intersectionality is crucial in understanding how race, gender, and class intersect.

  • Case Study: Indigenous women face compounded vulnerabilities, evidenced by their representation in prison systems.

Systemic Racism

  • Definition: Systemic racism operates on social, cultural, and political levels.

  • Myth of Individual Prejudice: It is important to note that systemic racism is not merely the result of individual prejudices but is embedded within institutions and societal norms.

Types of Racism

  • Overt Racism: Explicit racial discrimination and visible acts of prejudice.

  • Institutional Racism: Policies and practices that inadvertently produce racial inequality.

  • Systemic Racism: Deep-rooted structural patterns that perpetuate racial inequalities.

Terra Nullius

  • Definition of the Doctrine: Terra nullius is derived from Latin meaning 'empty land.'

  • Colonial Justification: This doctrine was used to justify colonization by denying the existence and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.

Blumenbach & Race

  • Historical Classification: Johann Friedrich Blumenbach classified humanity into five races, with 'Caucasian' at the top of this hierarchy.

  • Current Understanding: Such classifications have been discredited and are considered forms of pseudoscience.

Du Bois: Color Line

  • Concept of Race: W.E.B. Du Bois theorized that race acts as a defining factor in social divisions.

  • Double Consciousness: He introduced the notion of double consciousness, describing the internal conflict experienced by subordinated or colonized groups in an oppressive society.

  • Relevance: These themes remain pertinent in analyzing contemporary social structures.

Racial Databases

  • Practices: The Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) plays a crucial role in law enforcement data collection, including carding.

  • Consequences: Such practices reinforce racial profiling and consequently erode trust in legal institutions.

Single Story

  • Need for Diversity: There is a pressing need to advocate for multiple perspectives and narratives in discussing race and justice issues.

Key Questions

  • Colonialism's Effect on Justice: How does colonialism shape the current justice landscape?

  • Law Neutrality: Is the legal framework genuinely neutral?

  • Defining Anti-Racist Justice: What does justice look like when viewed through an anti-racist lens?

Crimes of the Powerful: White-Collar Crime & Structural Harm

  • Defining the Issue: Major crimes can be committed by powerful individuals and entities, challenging conventional definitions of crime.

  • Examples: Notable comparisons like the Iraq War versus the Robert Pickton case highlight discrepancies in how crimes are defined and addressed.

Scale of Harm

  • Death Toll in Wars: Over 350 million deaths attributed to wars indicate the scale of harm inflicted by powerful actors.

  • Corporate Harm: Widespread corporate wrongdoing also reflects structural harm, including military fraud and misappropriation of funds.

White-Collar Crime

  • Definition by Edwin Sutherland: White-collar crime is committed by individuals in high-status positions predominantly through their occupational roles.

Types of White-Collar Crime

  • Occupational Crime: Crimes that occur in the context of the offender’s profession.

  • Corporate Crime: Illegal actions taken by a corporation or its representatives for financial gain.

  • Financial Crime: Includes practices such as fraud and insider trading, exemplified during the 2008 financial crisis.

  • Political Crime: Pertains to corruption or the abuse of power in political settings.

  • State-Organized Crime: Involves violations such as war crimes or human rights abuses perpetrated by state actors.

Corporate Crime

  • Profit vs. Ethics: Often, decisions prioritize profits over safety, leading to unethical practices.

  • Examples: Environmental harm resulting from corporate negligence and consumer deception practices.

Financial Crime

  • Characteristics: Encompasses various fraudulent practices, including insider trading and schemes like 'pump and dump.'

  • Significant Event: The 2008 financial crisis serves as a pivotal example of financial crime on a massive scale.

Political Crime

  • Types: Includes undue influence and corruption peddling as forms of political malfeasance.

State-Organized Crime

  • Examples: Can include military actions that violate human rights as well as illegal surveillance tactics.

Corporate Violence

  • Statistics: Workplace fatalities often exceed homicide rates, emphasizing the dangers of inadequate workplace safety.

  • Case Study: The Westray Mine disaster exemplified preventable harm resulting from corporate negligence.

Environmental Harm

  • Examples: Areas like Cancer Alley demonstrate the impact of environmental racism and the lack of corporate accountability for such harm.

Tax Evasion & Power

  • Practices: Utilization of offshore accounts as methods to evade taxes highlighted in the Pandora Papers, illustrating global inequality.

Corporate Fraud

  • Case Study: The Theranos scandal serves as an example of health risks associated with corporate fraud, where power shielded those responsible from accountability.

Power Shapes Crime Definitions

  • Key Takeaways: Understanding that elite harms often go unnoticed within the justice system highlights a significant inequality in crime definition and repercussions.

Victimology - Understanding Victimization & Power

What is Victimology?

  • Definition: The study of victimization encompassing its causes, consequences, and responses from social, legal, and psychological perspectives.

Key Focus

  • Victim-Offender Relationship: Examines the dynamics between victims and offenders.

  • Victim Experiences: Investigates the lived experiences of victims and how these are measured.

Social Construction of Victim

  • Definition: The concept of victimhood is socially constructed; it does not apply equally to all individuals.

  • Identity Importance: The recognition of victimhood can be influenced by societal norms and identities.

Ideal Victim

  • Characteristics: Seen as deserving of sympathy; typically perceived as innocent and aligned with dominant societal norms.

Types of Victimization

  • Categories:
      - Personal: Individual violations, such as assault.
      - Property: Crimes against property, e.g., burglary.
      - State/Institutional: Harm from state actions or policies.
      - Cyber: Victimization occurring in digital spaces.
      - Interpersonal: Victimization from personal relationships.

Measuring Victimization

  • Methods:
      - Police Reports: Documented incidents reported to law enforcement.
      - Surveys: Public surveys on victimization experiences.
      - Self-Reports: Individuals share their own victimization experiences.
      - Qualitative Research: In-depth studies providing qualitative data on victimization.
      - Dark Figure of Crime: Refers to unreported crimes that are not reflected in official statistics.

Victim Precipitation

  • Theory: This theory posits that victims may have a role in their victimization.

  • Critique: Accused of blaming the victim, particularly in cases of colonial and sexual violence.

Routine Activity Theory

  • Definition: Crime is a product of the interaction between the offender, the target, and the absence of a guardian.

  • Critique: This theory has been criticized for overlooking broader structural and societal factors influencing crime.

Critical Victimology

  • Focus: Emphasizes the role of power and inequality in understanding victimization.

  • Intersections with Other Issues: Addresses factors such as colonialism, racism, and patriarchy.

  • Victim Status Denial: Explores who may be denied recognition as victims.

Case Study: Structural Victimization

  • Research Focus: Investigates the consequences of colonial violence, particularly with groups like Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

  • Justice Gaps: Highlights the lack of justice and recognition afforded to marginalized victims.

Perfect Victim Narrative

  • Media Representation: Examines how the media portrays victimhood.

  • Recognition Dynamics: Questions who receives sympathy and attention versus those who are overlooked in societal discussions of victimization.

Key Takeaway

  • Power and Victimhood: Victimhood and the recognition of victims are shaped by societal power dynamics.

  • Inequity in Justice: Not all victims are treated equally, indicating a need for reform in how justice is administered.