NCJ Number
59367
Date Published
1978
Length
251 pages
Annotation
A TYPOLOGY OF POLITICAL CRIME--OFFENSES BY AND AGAINST GOVERNMENT--IN THE UNITED STATES FROM 1960 TO 1978 IS CONSTRUCTED IN A TEXT FOR STUDENTS OF CRIMINOLOGY, SOCIAL PROBLEMS, DEVIANCE, AND RELATED SUBJECTS.
Abstract
THE TYPOLOGY IS BASED PRIMARILY ON THE ACTION PATTERNS OF OFFENSES COMMITTED BY PERSONS OR GROUPS DURING THE NORMAL COURSE OF THEIR ACTIVITIES AS EMPLOYEES OR MEMBERS OF FORMAL ORGANIZATIONS. THUS, THE FOCUS IS ON CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS RATHER THAN ON INDIVIDUAL CRIMINALITY. GOVERNMENT AND CORPORATE CRIMES ARE VIEWED AS A SINGLE UNIT OF POLITICAL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, A REFLECTION OF THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS AN EXTENSION AND INSTRUMENT OF THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM, WHICH IS DOMINATED BY THE CORPORATE STRUCTURE. A DISTINCTION IS MADE BETWEEN THE POLITICAL CRIMES OF GOVERNMENT AND CORPORATE (CAPITALIST) AGENTS ACTING AGAINST THE PEOPLE, AND THOSE OF PERSONS AND GROUPS ACTING AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. THE FORMER CATEGORY INCLUDES ACTS THAT ARE CRIMINAL IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES BUT NOT IN THE UNITED STATES, ACTS THAT VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAW, ACTS DESIGNED TO EVADE ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING RULES OR STATUTES, ACTS THAT ARE SOCIALLY INJURIOUS BUT BEYOND DETECTION BY THE PEOPLE, AND ACTS THAT CLEARLY VIOLATE ESTABLISHED STATUTES OR REGULATIONS. THE LATTER CATEGORY INCLUDES BOTH SYMBOLIC VIOLATIONS OF ESTABLISHED LAWS COMMITTED FOR POLITICAL REASONS (E.G., A BANK ROBBERY AS A GESTURE OF 'LIBERATION' FROM THE DOMINANCE OF CAPITALISM), AND THE VERY EXISTENCE OF CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS (E.G., THE SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY) WHICH ARE NOT ILLEGAL BUT WHICH POSE A THREAT TO THE EXISTING POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEM. THESE ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST GOVERNMENT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE FOLLOWING TYPES: DOMESTIC INTERVENTION BY GOVERNMENT, FOREIGN INTERVENTION BY GOVERNMENT, INTERVENTION AGAINST GOVERNMENT, DOMESTIC SURVEILLANCE, DOMESTIC CONFRONTATION, EVASION AND COLLUSION BY GOVERNMENT, AND EVASION AND COLLUSION AGAINST GOVERNMENT. EACH TYPE IS EXAMINED ALONG FOUR DIMENSIONS (ACTION PATTERNS, GOAL OF THE OFFENDER, LEGAL STATUS OF THE OFFENSE AND NATURE OF THE OFFENSE), WITH EXTENSIVE REFERENCE TO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS. SUBJECT AND NAME INDEXES AND A 24-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED.