NCJ Number
186521
Date Published
2000
Length
29 pages
Annotation
Like other advanced industrial democracies, Canada has experienced and continues to encounter incidents that constitute State crime, and State crime in Canada is normally identified with government at the national or provincial level.
Abstract
The coverage of State crime in Canada is divided into four sections. The first section presents examples of State crime in Canada, paying particular attention to political corruption and the abuse of power by intelligence agencies. The second section advances theoretical perspectives as potential explanatory frameworks for government. The third section considers a range of possible responses to State crime, while the fourth section analyzes the future of State crime control. The authors note that political corruption and illegal activities of national security officials continue to present a serious problem in Canada and that incentives for illegal dealings between political and economic elites will continue as opportunities for profit associated with government activities increase. The authors also point out that Canadian responses to crime have generally been based on tenets of the representative democratic perspective; that is, they have concentrated on the individual perpetrator through legislation or criminal trials. Because individual control alone is not sufficient to control State crime, a more complete program of State crime control must address organizational and systemic dynamics as well. 3 notes