Category: Crime

Introduction

Crime is a common social disorder in many communities around the world. The frequency and nature of this phenomenon varies with time and space. For example, it is possible to find neighborhoods that are free of crime, while others nearby are full of this vice. In this paper, the author analyzed the element of crime prevention in a location in Hollywood.

The location selected for the research plan is Hollywood 20 Cinema and its environs. The movie theatre is the main business premise within the area. The premises are located at 6711 Stage Road in Bartlett, Tenesse. The exact location is on the corner of Stage and Kirby Whitten Road. The facility is a venue that caters for the general public by showcasing different movies (Hewitt, 2011). The primary function of this place is to provide entertainment to the public. However, the site and its surroundings act as a venue where a wide range of criminal activities take place. They include gang bustles, thefts, and fights. In addition, the area is often full of juvenile groups.

The researcher, through observations, discovered that 6711 Stage Road Barttlet, TN, is a major intersection where parents drop off their children. Upon being released by their guardians, the teenagers are free to engage in any activity. The reason behind this is because they are not under any supervision. There are several commercial premises around Hollywood 20 Cinema. In addition, there are various parking lots, which can be accessed through different entry and exit points (Hewitt, 2011). The aspect makes the area a convenient locality for criminals to conduct their operations. The reason behind this is because they can gain entry and exit to different buildings without fear of been apprehended. Due to lack of barriers between buildings, offenders are able to disappear to the neighboring cities after committing an offence.

To collect information for this report, the researcher conducted naturalistic observations and interviewed several people around the area. Findings from a series of interviews by the researcher revealed that 6711 Stage road area’s average homing price is $80,000 within a radius of 1 mile. Property owners focus on the real estate business. The major natural environmental hazard that affects the area is tornadoes.

Hollywood 20 Cinema: Analyzing the Functioning of the Location using the ORCA Framework

From the observations made, the researcher found out that 6711Stage Road, Barttlet, TN, is a hot spot for criminal activities. In some instances, the spots are larger than places. The aspect occurs due to the mapping methods employed by analysts and the nature of criminal behaviors (Eck, 2015a). In addition, crime is concentrated among offenders, victims, targets, and time.

Organization

With regards to organization of space, 6711 Stage Road Barttlet, TN, has various premises that offer different services to the public. The researcher observed that there are five public schools located within 6711 Stage Road, TN. They include Alturia Elementary, Elmore Park Middle, and Baarttlet High School. Others are New Consortium of Law and Business and Olivias Montessori Preschool. In addition, there are several restaurants, including Krystal, and two drug laboratories. Out of all these buildings, the researcher found out that Hollywood 20 Cinema occupies the largest space. The property, which is fitted with bedrooms and bathrooms, is built on a land measuring 39,277 square feet (Hewitt, 2011). The nearest cities to 6711 Stage Road Hollywood 20 Cinema are Cordova and Lakeland. The population of this location stands at 40,543. The total number of households within the environs of the movie facility is 13,773. The average size of each of these units is 2.92 (Hewitt, 2011).

Regulation

In relation to the regulation of conduct, it is noted that Hollywood 20 cinema and its environs is an area characterized by different criminal activities. There are no strict measures put in place to control the activities of juveniles who hang around the business premises. To determine the level of regulation of conduct, the researcher examined the area’s crime rates records and statistics. The offensive acts include violent crimes, murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and property crime (Morina, 2012). Other common crimes include burglary, larceny, and vehicle theft. In addition, there are 9 registered offenders found within 1 mile of 6711 Stage Road, Bartlett, TN.

Control of Access

Control of access entails the restriction to enter a place or a resource (Eck, 2015a). The observations and interviews conducted revealed that most premises around 6711 Stage Road are accessible to the public (Morina, 2012). The facilities include Hollywood 20 cinema, restaurants, and shopping places. In spite of authorizations, access restrictions are found in the entertainment facilities. Control is managed by special personnel who include security guards and ticket checkers (Morina, 2012).

The premises around Hollywood 20 Cinema, which have complex control of access measures, are private properties. The reason behind this is because the general public is restricted from gaining entry. Due to the nature of building organization, different premises can be accessed from various points (Hewitt, 2011). There are no barriers between the structures. From the observation, it is apparent that control of access to 6711 Stage Road, TN, and its surroundings is an issue of concern. There are no strict measures put in place by the managers of different properties to monitor people’s access to the establishments. Easy access, for example, to a building guarantees quick exit for offenders (Schneider, 2007).

Acquisition of Resources

On the acquisition of resources, the residents of Hollywood 20 Cinema and its environs get their materials, energy, and other supplies from within the area and the neighboring cities, such as Cordova, Lakeland, Millington, and Gallaway. The researcher made observations and interviewed different residents and business owners to highlight this element. Business managers reported that they recruit a significant portion of their employees from within the locality. The area is rich in resources, from which different benefits are derived (Hewitt, 2011).

Crime and Disorder around Hollywood 20 Cinema

Places that are open to the general public are vulnerable to different criminal activities (Lab, 2010). A number of crimes are reported to take place around the movie theatres. During the hangout period, the researcher found out that the most common crime around and within Hollywood 20 Cinema are car break-ins. According to local police reports, the activity tops the list of the most reported crimes. From a series of interviews with the residents, the researcher discovered that criminals around the street steal anything that they can pawn or sell. The items include electronics and other devices attached to the front part of vehicles, such as radar detectors and GPS gadgets.

The researcher found out that crime is a major concern in this location. The reason behind this is because car owners are inconvenienced as they lose lots of valuable items. Every year, personal possessions and accessories worth billions of dollars’ are stolen through car break-ins (Rosenfeld, 2013). Within a period of three weekends when observations were made, about 15 vehicles were burglarized in Hollywood Cinema 20 parking lot and the surrounding areas. Most of the criminals conduct their business after 8:30pm. Majority of vehicle owners who visit various business premises around Hollywood Cinema leave briefcases, purses, electronics, wallets, and other items unattended in the cars. The offenders take advantage of this as they hide along the streets and observe their targets (Tilley, 2005).

During the hangout period, the researcher discovered that most criminals, some in their teens, focus on the area due to one major reason. They are guaranteed that the vehicle owners will spend some time away from the cars as they conduct their business. As a result, they can break into the vehicle without fear of been caught in the act. The major risk faced by the criminals is being spotted by passersby and other people who drive along the street (Tilley, 2005).

Routine Activities around Hollywood 20 Cinema

Every locality is characterized by different offenders and a wide range of target groups for the criminals. Each group of lawbreakers specializes in a given form of crime (Welsh, 2012). The choices are based on the level of experience and the consequences of each criminal activity. Within Hollywood 20 Cinema and its environs, potential offenders are juveniles and idlers. The researcher observed that the strategic location of the movie theatre makes it a convenient hangout place for criminals. The potential targets include passersby and people who visit the various shopping, entertainment, and restaurant joints along 6711 Stage and Kirby Whitten Road.

Through a series of observations and interviews, the researcher discovered that the place’s routine, targets, guardians, and handlers facilitate incidences of crime within the area. The targets influence crime occurrence in various ways. Majority of individuals who leave their cars at the parking lot do not take into consideration the monitoring by potential criminals (Maxfield, 2004). They assume Hollywood 20 Cinema parking lot is safe and well guarded. Due to this, some of them leave their cars unlocked or windows rolled down. In addition, some individuals believe they will only stay away from their vehicles for a short duration of time. However, once inside the premises, they spend more time than they had initially expected. Such factors mean that the criminals have the time to steal and disappear before they are spotted (Maxfield, 2004).

Through observations, the researcher found out that business premises around 6711 Stage Road Barttlet, TN, such as restaurants, operate till around midnight. Customers who visit the places during the odd hours become targets for criminals. Hollywood 20 Cinema, for example, operates almost on a 24-hour schedule. Due to this, some individuals tend to leave the facility late at night. All these factors influence crime occurrence. Criminals who operate within the area are guaranteed there will be potential targets for their business (Hewitt, 2011).

From a series of interviews with residents, the researcher discovered guardians and handlers also facilitate the occurrence of criminal activities around Hollywood 20 Cinema. Around 6711 stage road, there are a number of public schools. Some parents drop their children around the area and leave for their daily occupations. Majority of guardians do not put proper measures in place to ensure the children do not engage in misdemeanors after school hours (Braga & Weisburd, 2010).

Offenders play a big role in facilitating crimes. The fact that a place has high crime rates is an indication that it is not well manned by security officers or the locals (Tilley, 2005). As a result, many criminals make such places their preferred hangouts. From the long observation hours and analysis of crime statistics, the researcher discovered that Hollywood 20 Cinema and its environs is a location that is preferred by many offenders. According to reports from police and residents, majority of criminals come from the neighboring cities.

Due to the high crime rates reported annually, the area residents are coming up with measures to reduce criminal activities. After interactions with a number of people, the researcher found out that senior residents are organizing neighborhood watch groups. Each faction of about seven people is assigned night time for specified days (Mackey & Levan, 2013). They are required to alert the neighbors in case they suspect a crime is about to take place.

Hollywood 20 Cinema: Situational Measures

The underlying traits of locations vary with time and space. The characteristics tend to determine the rate at which crime take place within the area (Eck, 2015b). Hollywood 20 Cinema is a proprietary place that serves a distinct purpose of offering a wide range of services to the general public, such as entertainment. Situational crime prevention focuses on the setting and context of offences. It is not overly concerned with the criminals. The approach makes the actions of the offender difficult to execute by ensuring the target is inaccessible. To enhance effectiveness, the plan incorporates a wide range of techniques based on manipulation of the surroundings and application of technology (Lab, 2010). As a result, crime can be reduced and deterred if opportunities for offending are eased.

The researcher observed how situational crime prevention is nonoperational within 6711 Stage Road, Bartlett, TN. To reduce crime, the effort of committing the offence must be increased (Mackey & Levan, 2013). At the place, there is no element of target hardening. Different premises within Hollywood Cinema 20 lack controlled access plans. Due to this aspect, it becomes easy for criminals, majority of who are teenagers, to gain access (Mackey & Levan, 2013).

Within Hollywood Cinema 20 and its neighboring areas, people fail to pay attention to the importance of reducing rewards for crime. An important aspect in situational crime prevention is to focus on lessening the benefits of criminal activities (Eck, 2015b). During the hangout period, the researcher observed how car owners leave valuable items in their vehicles. Leaving such items in the open insinuates that the car owners are rewarding the offenders. The residents who live within 6711 Stage Road should work with law enforcement officers to disrupt the market for stolen items.

Situational crime prevention also entails increasing the risk of committing a crime. Criminals tend to focus on the risks of getting apprehended and not the consequences (Rosenfeld, 2013). The reason behind this is because when an offender is caught in the act, punishment is inevitable. As a result, criminals are careful when conducting their business. During the hangout period, the researcher, for example, found out that there are five entry points to the movie theatre’s parking lot. The feature makes it easy for criminals to escape from the premises after committing a crime. Teenagers, for example, can create a distraction at one entry point to facilitate the escape of their colleagues through another juncture. In addition, there are no barriers at the intersections between buildings and the neighboring city.

In spite of the numerous cases of criminal acts, the researcher found out that various situational crime measures have been put in place. Surveillance is being improved around Hollywood Cinema 20 and its environs. The reason for this is to increase the risk of committing crime. More security personnel have been employed to monitor the activities of persons around the parking lot. The improved formal surveillance deters criminals who are afraid of security guards and cameras (Clarke & Eck, 2014). In addition, measures have been put in place to ensure there is improved lighting around 6711 Stage Road, Barttlet, TN.

The researcher discovered that the area around Hollywood Cinema 20 is always packed with idle teenagers dropped off by their parents to attend school. Some of the young people end up engaging in misdemeanors around the premises. To reduce the acts leading to criminal activities, the managers of businesses around 6711 Stage Road have put measures in place deal with excess human traffic (Schneider, 2009). The plan entails posting notices warning against idling around their premises and prohibition of parking at certain points (Hewitt, 2011). As such, offenders have no excuses when caught roaming around restricted places.

Recommendations to Improve Crime Prevention around Hollywood Cinema 20

After hours of observation spread over different days and incorporation of the knowledge and experience gained by working at Barltlett Police Department, the researcher makes the following recommendations:

1. Movie enthusiasts and shoppers visiting the area should leave their valuables at home. As a result, the criminals will have nothing to steal. In instances where the car owner carries valuable possessions and accessories, they should not leave them in the vehicles. Another alternative is locking them in the trunk or glove compartment. Drivers should ensure they place items in the trunk before arriving at the parking lot (Lab, 2010). The reason is to ensure the criminals do not see where the valuables have been kept. The offenders are always watching the parking lots.
2. Business managers should ensure their premises are not overcrowded. Offenders tend to take advantage of packed places to rob people and hide in the crowd.
3. Car owners should ensure they close their windows. A minute opening makes it easy for the offender to break in. In addition, any valuable possession should not be left in plain sight on the seats (Maxfield, 2004). After conducting a series of interviews, the researcher found out that various people stash items under jackets or behind seats. The locations are not safe and do not deter a break-in. The reason is because criminals are familiar with such hiding places and acts.
4. In instances where an individual is a victim or a witness to a criminal activity, they should contact a law enforcement agency to report the crime (Welsh, 2012). The residents should ensure the street is well lighted during the night and parking lots are manned by security officers at all times. In addition, hidden CCTV cameras should be placed in the entrance and exits of the buildings around Hollywood Cinema 20.

References

Braga, A., & Weisburd, D. (2010). Policing problem places: Crime hot spots and effective prevention. New York: Oxford University Press.

Clarke, R., & Eck, J. (2014). Become a problem-solving crime analyst. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

Eck, J. (2015a). Hot spots & blobs APC week 5 lecture. University of Cincinnati, School of Arts.

Eck, J. (2015b). Risky facilities APC week 6 lecture. University of Cincinnati, School of Arts.

Hewitt, S. (2011). Maps. Mankato, Minnesota: Amicus.

Lab, S. (2010). Crime prevention approaches, practices and evaluations (7th ed.). Albany, N.Y: LexisNexis/Anderson Pub.

Mackey, D., & Levan, K. (2013). Crime prevention. Burlington, Mass.: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Maxfield, M. (2004). Understanding and preventing car theft. Monsey, N.Y.: Criminal Justice Press.

Morina, A. (2012). Crime rates, types and hot spots. New York: Nova Science.

Rosenfeld, R. (2013). Economics and youth violence crime, disadvantage, and community. New York: NYU Press.

Schneider, S. (2007). Refocusing crime prevention collective action and the quest for community. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Schneider, S. (2009). Crime prevention: Theory and practice. Boca Raton, F.L.: CRC Press.

Tilley, N. (2005). Handbook of crime prevention and community safety. Cullompton, Devon: Willan Pub.

Welsh, B. (2012). The Oxford handbook of crime prevention. New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press.

One of the core subjects of Criminology is “Hate Crime”. This issue should be defined and discussed in order to be understood and seriously taken into consideration. This subject may be provided with a legalistic which states that the hate crimes actually manifest proof of prejudice based on the issues of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. This definition is used by most of the states which introduced hate crime legislation.

It is important to mention in this context that the issues which constitute a hate crime distinguish greatly between different jurisdictions. For example, talking about the territory of the United States, it is necessary to mention that there are some huge differences on such problematic issues as the way of definition of the bias, measuring of the victims’ classes protection, and also – the expend of bias motivation needed for classification.

It is significant to define hate crime in this context. It might be understood as a certain process rather than an event. “It does not occur in a cultural or social vacuum, nor is it “over” when the perpetrator moves on” (Bowling, 1993, p.242). That is why hate crime should be defined in a certain way as to give the special term “life” and meaning, as a situated in society and dynamic process which involves both: actors and context, agency and structure.

It should be said that hate crime influences both: social and historical context; also relationships between certain actors and between entire communities. Following these, the understanding of hate crime is promoted by a definition that admits the ways in which this selected category of violence contributes to the relative scheme of identities, in the context of a framework of specified connections of power.

The upper given information enables different critics and researchers to understand that bias-motivated violence can not be considered as “abnormal” or “anomalous” Western world cultures. It should be regarded rather as a certain natural extension of the issues of racism, homophobia, and sexism that basically stations specific privilege along lines of race and gender. As bright expressions of hate, the acts of wide intimidation always “involve the assertion of selves over others constituted as other” (Goldberg, 1995, p.269). Following this, it might be said that in the given situation the self is considered to constitute the existed norm.

Hate crime not only reflects the relationship between the exact participants of the crime but also reflects the relationship between some different communities they actually belong to. The main objectives here are: to create fear, suspicion, and hostility in any community. Thus, the main aim in the hate crime is not just to subordinate the victim, but basically to repress the victim’s community.

There can be provided a lot of examples concerning the problem of hate crime issues. Some of them are closely related to the Louisville of the Kentucky State. For example, there was a situation when gay victims actually feared that the admission of their own victimization was the following confession of their sexual orientation. By making the report on anti-gay sexual crime to the police they actually felt that they “uncovered” themselves because of the possibility to be violated again (this time by the police officials).

Another common example is related to the undocumented Mexican laborers that may fear the consequences of their status being revealed. Following these examples, it might be said that victims might be feared by law enforcement officials.

In conclusion, it should be pointed out that the main goal of hate crime theory is to categorize existing forms of violence with a view to the psychological, cultural, and political conditions. Such studies “seek to understand the psychological causes that compel people to commit hate crimes. Sometimes these causes are sought in enduring psychological orientations or propensities; in other cases, hate crime is said to arise because individuals with certain kinds of beliefs and aversions find themselves in situations where these psychological attributes are brought to the fore” (Green, 200, p. 484).

In the context of hate crime, there should be outlined basic accounts that influence it greatly: historical-cultural, political, sociological, synthetic, and economic.

It must be noted that such assumptions as hate crime offenses are totally uncommon in their causes and effects, especially if comparing to their non – bias-motivated counterparts. Here might be pointed out basic interrelated dimensions of the influence of hate crime both on collectives and on individuals. These dimensions are categorized in the following way:

1. Impact on immediate victims;
2. Impact on other members of the victim’s group;
3. Impact on the national community.

Finally, it is necessary to remind that hate crimes are considered “message crimes” that are intended to make suffer all members of the community of the victim, to spread the collective fear within the victim’s cultural or ethnic group. Such means can be regarded as a real threat to the entire human society and for the world’s peace, security, and legal order. That is why there should be found more effective ways of legal fighting against hate crimes.

References

Bowling, B. (1993). Racial Harassment and the Process of Victimization. Journal of Criminology, 33(2), 231-250.

Goldberg, D. T., (1995). Afterword: Hate or Power?: In Rita Kirk Whillock and Slayden, D. eds. Hate Speech (pp. 267-276). Thousand Oaks, CA.

Green, D., McFalls, L. and Smith, J. (2001). Hate Crime: An Emergent Agenda. Annual Review of Sociology, 27: 479-504.

Introduction

Crime can be described as a deviant behavior that violates the prevailing norms or cultural standards prescribing how humans ought to behave normally (Gary 4). Statistics state that the youth crime rate has increased over the years but the big question is how has that happened and why. The current generation youth has been exposed to so many immoral behaviors and they desire to ape what is happening around them. Parents, teachers, media and peer groups are largely to be blamed for these results because they are the ideal tool of control to the youth. In the United States and Canada, youth has resulted to commit crimes in defense of discriminatory acts.

The “rod” what happened to it? Is it part of the blame? Drug related crimes, homicides committed by youth and even property crimes just to mention but a few are crimes that the youth commit. Punishment is seen as one way of tackling and minimizing the crime rates but has it been effective? If the law enforcers have voted it in and made sure it is in action the why is the crime rates among the youth taking its toll in the society (Gary 23).

Causes of youth crime

There are major risk factors that lead the youth to commit crime which include; Parental supervision and discipline which is characterized with harsh and erratic parental discipline, cold or rejecting parental attitudes has led to the children lacking inhibition against offending. Parental conflict and separation also contributes to the youth crimes. Having separated parents or a broken home does not create the high risk of offending rather the parental conflict which led to the separation.

Social and Economic deprivation are important factors contributing to antisocial behavior and crime. Research states that the risk of becoming criminally involved is higher for young people raised in disorganized inner city areas, characterized by physical deterioration and overcrowded households (Donald 473).

Types of crimes committed by youth

Drug related offenses are prevalent; also property crime rates have been evident especially in the schools. Research states that1 in 10 youth crimes occurred on school property, assaults being the most prevalent offenses (27%).Homicides among teenagers have contributed negatively to the society especially among the victims (Gary 46).

The law on youth criminals/punishment

The question has been why has the crime rates been so much adverse yet the law on the youth crimes is being enforced? There has been an alarm over youth crimes but few efforts reduce the rate offer partial solutions to the problem. Many crime-control projects have been initiated but there is little appreciable effect. Some of the experts believe that locking up large numbers of the worst offenders would bring reduction but others question the applicability of such a move (Bureau of Justice Statistics 162). Therefore, we see that punishment on the youth crimes have not had any effect whatsoever. This implicates that the society continues to become rotten because the law has failed to do its part.

Conclusion

Based on the above we need to look for strategies which will be effective and control or even rehabilitate the offenders among the youth. First, the causes should be looked at in depth and thoroughly scrutinized. This is the most basic thing which should be done to come up with effective resolutions. The reason is that we are answering the question ‘why do the youth go out and commit offenses?’ what drives them to offend is what should be dealt with first. Issues of parental conflict, socio-economic issues, and harsh discipline from the parents should be addressed adequately. They should pass a law that makes it mandatory for parent to take parental class so as to bring up their children in a socially acceptable way. Secondly the law enforcers should look at what went wrong to the laws they are following and make quick amendments which will be fair and effective to both the youth and the society.

Works Cited

Bureau of Justice Statistics. Performance Measures for the Criminal Justice System: Discussion from the BJS-Princeton Project. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, 1993. 152-179.

Cressey, Donald R. “Crime: I. Causes of Crime.” vol. 3. New York: Macmillan and Free Press, 1968. 471–476.

LaFree, Gary. Losing Legitimacy: Street Crime and the Decline of Social Institutions in America. Boulder, Colo.: West view, 1998. 3-52.

Juveniles are increasingly getting involved in criminal activities across the United States. Crimes that are mostly reported include assault, homicide, rape, robbery, vandalism and arson. This paper seeks to explain why I am against the state laws that facilitate prosecution of juveniles in adult courts. I will also give my reasons as to why juveniles who commit violent crimes should not be tried as adults unless they are older enough to understand the consequences of their actions.

There have been a lot of arguments concerning the basis on which juvenile courts were established. There is some belief going around that juvenile courts should be abolished because they were put in place to shield juveniles from consequences of their criminal activities.

Indeed there has been a marked rise in incidences of juvenile criminal activities. I don’t think this problem can be solved by punishing juveniles as adults. Some states have gone as far as creating laws that facilitate the prosecution of juveniles in adult courts. In my opinion, such states are just trying to treat the symptoms and not the disease.

These people should try to understand the real cause of the problem. According to me, juveniles involve themselves in criminal activities due to poor upbringing which can be blamed on the family and violent neighborhoods.

For example, I had a friend whose parents were both alcoholics and t his weighed so much on him. He has been tried for stabbing his father. He was only 14 but I don’t think this could have happened if he had responsible parents. Such a person will not be helped if he is held fully responsible and prosecuted in adult courts.

Questions have also risen as to whether it’s appropriate to try juveniles (regardless of the age) who commit violent crimes in the same manner as adults. It’s imperative to note that people should be made to pay for their mistakes so long as they understand what they are doing.

However, it’s also important to point out that some juveniles, especially younger ones may not be aware of the magnitude of their criminal activities or even understand why they involve themselves in crime. In most cases there are many underlying social problems that can be addressed to deter juvenile criminal activities.

We all know that juveniles who are prosecuted as adults are often held in adult jails where they might be abused. This can also make them to lose education opportunities in life. Juveniles who undergo this are more likely to be involved in crime again because they will have no other means of fending for themselves when they get out.

In my opinion juveniles who commit violent crime should be given an opportunity to reform and lead a normal life to deter future crime cases. Thus it’s important that they be prosecuted in a manner that will offer them the opportunity to reform. This can be achieved by trying juveniles, especially younger offenders in juvenile courts. However, those who involve themselves in violent crimes and are older (16 years and above) should be tried as adults because they are better placed to understand the consequences of their actions.

This paper sought to explain why I am against the state laws that facilitate prosecution of juveniles in adult courts. I have also given my reasons as to why juveniles who commit violent crimes should not be tried as adults unless they are older enough to understand the consequences of their actions.

The paper has reviewed some underlying causes that push the youths into crime and has concluded that the state laws that facilitate the prosecution of juveniles in adult courts should be changed. It has also concluded that juveniles who involve themselves in violent crimes should not be tried as adults unless they are old enough to understand the consequences of their actions.

The United States is an achievement-oriented nation that expects its citizens to act purposefully and productively. To do otherwise is considered impulsive, irresponsible, and sometimes evidence that the person is no longer in control. The main concepts shaped the future of corrections are protecting function, social obedience and effective crime control. The criminal-justice system serves a real function in protecting people. If you are afraid or threatened, there is a place to call. Dangerous people should not be allowed to continue to hurt others who live in our communities, and while the system is not always effective in apprehending and incarcerating them, it does what it can. Success could only be realized by establishing a police state in which strict surveillance of the citizenry is maintained and swift sanctions are executed with little regard for individual rights. The American people would not tolerate this. Formal controls are too far removed from the meaningful aspects of everyday life to influence our behavior directly. The attitudes of peer groups, families, and perhaps even neighbors are more influential on behavior. Consequently, the system will never effectively control crime not through deterrence, or incapacitation, or rehabilitation. The future of corrections is to find the best way to control crime through public participation and social consciousness.

Crime control will implemented in a manner consistent with beliefs about criminality. The crime control strategy of the criminal justice system is correct in assuming that personal gain is the primary motivation for crime. This philosophy of crime control incorporates a relatively simple idea of cost-benefit. Offenders are assumed to be attracted to criminality by the benefits they may receive and are deterred from such activity by threats of criminal sanctions which pose potential costs that outweigh any benefits to be derived. If the gains fall short of the potential losses, it is assumed that people will refrain from the activity. Yet if the gains from crime exceed any potential losses, then crime makes sense. Rational choice is thus an important factor in criminality as well as in its control.

Assimilation, not coercion, is the important factor in obtaining obedience. We learn what behaviors are acceptable and why, and in the course of these experiences also come to recognize the mutual benefit of restraint. Compliance will become voluntary and automatic. Law-abiding behavior becomes similarly patterned by custom and habit. Compliance generally becomes second nature. The utility of coercion and socialization is seen in child-rearing. With very young children, coercion is the only effective control. If the child goes into the street, she is disciplined and told that if she does that again she will be punished again. Punishment is used to instill recognition of acceptable and unacceptable behavior. But parents realize that until the child recognizes the dangers and internalizes the rule of not entering the street, no threat, however great, will assure that the child will not reenter the street. Until then, surveillance and reeducation are necessary. Yet as the child grows older, coercion becomes less effective. Order in the household seems to be achieved only by voluntary compliance. Threats and punishments continue to be used, but they work only when the child agrees to their use. In extreme situations, it does not matter what is threatened or how severe the punishments are. Eventually every parent must forego coercion. Societies find themselves in much the same position as households with teenagers: without voluntary compliance order will not be attained. Threats of sanction tend to be effective only when they are generally accepted; otherwise, people simply seek ways to get around compliance, or they may openly defy prohibitions. Only a strict police state that maintains constant surveillance and rigid discipline can control a society prone to deviance.

References

Newburn, T. (2007). Criminology. Willan Publishing.

Introduction

Crime refers to a prohibited action, for which a person can be reprimanded by the government (Lilly, Cullen & Ball, 2014). Crime also means oversight of an obligation that is instructed by the civic law, which makes the lawbreaker liable for the crime committed and, therefore, suffer a punishment (Lilly et al., 2014). Other scholars define crime as a deed or an instance of defiance that is considered hazardous to the morals of the community and the concerns of the nation and is legitimately forbidden by the law (Rocque, Welsh & Raine, 2012).

Crime Prevention Theories

Currently, dealing with the effects of effects costs both the local and the central government a lot of money. The government has to pay courts that handle criminal cases, as well as supply financial resources for the replacement of facilities and buildings destroyed by crimes like vandalism and arson. Some authors have come up with theories that explain how crimes can be prevented, such as the routine activities theory and crime prevention through environmental design. First, the situational crime prevention theory has been well defined as the use of methods focused on precise practices of crime. It encompasses management, manipulation, and design of the immediate surroundings in as methodical and lasting a manner as possible. The theory was posed by the department of criminological research of the British government in the 1970s. The rational choice theory makes the foundation for the situational crime prevention theory. It assumes that wrongdoers actively and freely opt to commit misconduct (Geason & Wilson, 1988). The rational choice theory, which was created by Jeremy Bentham and later on developed by Gary Becker, shows that decisions made to commit crimes are psychologically and socially determined, but the situation determines the ultimate decision. This theory portrays that conditions are not likely to motivate an individual to commit a crime but stimulate the decision of the person to commit a wrong. Consequently, the situational preventive methods are effective in reducing the crime in areas such as vandalism, anticrime and burglary.

Apart from the theory in question, a range of other assumptions concerning the methods of crime prevention has been spawned. While a range of these theories has a certain interesting point to convey, most of them fail to work on their own, requiring support. For instance, the theory commonly known as the crime pattern theory (Wortley & Mazerolle, 2013) needs to be mentioned as the prime example of a good idea that is often misinterpreted and, therefore, provides reasons for numerous misconceptions. Despite having an obvious grain of common sense, the theory of crime pattern seems somewhat flawed, as it creates the premises for confusing a cause and an effect. While it is reasonable to pay more attention to the areas, where crime rates are obviously higher, the crime pattern theory may trigger a misleading conclusion (Wortley & Mazerolle, 2013). To be more specific, one may assume that the frequency and density of crimes per area indicate that other neighborhoods are less prone to criminal activity. As a result, a possibility of crime prevention within a community with less threatening crime scores may be missed. The theory in question rubs shoulders with another theoretical framework that gives just as many reasons for misunderstanding its basic tenets; to be more specific, the Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). According to the basic tenets of the framework, crimes occur in the laces that are not monitored and, therefore, allow a criminal to escape. While being rather basic, the theory under analysis brings up an essential detail, which makes it worthy of implementation – the CPTED approach involves the aspects such as suitability, risk, and a rational choice of the offender, therefore, allowing for a three-dimensional assessment of the issue (Clancey, Lee & Fisher, 2012). Nevertheless, the theory falls flat due to its obvious attempt at addressing the cause and not the symptom, i.e., the reason for people to commit crimes.

The theory of crime prevention through environmental design was invented by a criminologist called Jeffery C. Ray (Clancey et al., 2012). He claimed that sociologists explain that social negative factors are not linked to environmental and biological factors that induced crime, according to the researcher. He urged that prevention should be based on factors related to the biology of lawbreaking, such as the exposure of a malefactor to lead. The researcher assumed that lead damages the brain increases delinquency in young people. Despite the earlier criticism of this theory by some criminologists, it is currently more respectable than before since it has positively changed the state of criminal affairs, as it allowed realizing that a crime may be induced by biological factors. Thus, the acknowledgment of the concept of a crime committed in the heat of passion became possible owing to the study carried out by Ray. Moreover, mitigation of punishment became possible as the specified states were identified as the crimes committed in the altered state of consciousness. Of these two theories, the crime prevention theory has been shown to have more impact in preventing crime compared to the situational crime prevention theory. In situational prevention, the displacement critics do not offer any attempts to correct the situation, unlike efforts like the installation of CCTV cameras to monitor all situations, such as in England. This technology is in effect to prevent criminals from causing crimes in insecure places.

Law Enforcement Theories

Finding reasons why individuals commit crimes is very significant in the current ongoing discussions on how to prevent and handle crime. Over the centuries, many theories have been formulated to explain the origin of crimes. The theory of rational choice explains that people commonly do certain crimes due to their interests. People also make decisions to break the law after considering the probable threats including being caught and being punished (Rocque, Welsh & Raine, 2012). On the contrary, the social disorganization theory states that the social and physical environments typically define the behavioral patterns that an individual adopts. For instance, a locality with a poor social organization is likely to have higher rates of crime. The specified environment may invite the possibility of vandalism, low employment rates, poor education level, and a mixture of residential and commercial property. Remarkably, the strain theory shows that individuals have shared aspirations, but have different abilities and opportunities (Rocque, Welsh & Raine, 2012).

When it comes to defining the approach that will allow for maximum law enforcement within a certain community, one must give credit to the concept of problem-oriented policing (POP). Traditionally defined as the approach that presupposes a focus on the analysis of the factors that contribute to an increase in rime within a specific area, as well as the isolation and, if possible, elimination of the factors in question (Maguire, Uchida & Hassell, 2010). To be more specific, the key strength of the POP approach is that it allows “moving away from simply reacting to citizen calls-for-service and moving toward identifying and solving the problems that generate excessive calls” (Maguire et al., 2010, p. 3). Therefore, the approach under analysis will help deal with the actual problem

Also claimed to be one of the theories that will promote law enforcement, the strategy in question falls flat, as it blames increasing crime rates on the anti-social behavior within a certain neighborhood (Alford, 2012). Although there is an obvious link between the rise in crime and the values that are accepted within a particular society, addressing crimes by enhancing ethics would be naïve at the very least. As much as moral principles affect people’s behavior, the factors that cause crime are much more diverse, including mental issues, dire circumstances, etc. (Polinsky & Shavell, 2006) Therefore, the theory of broken windows may be used as a supportive framework, yet cannot be deployed as the basic one.

Theories that Impact Correction of Crime

The deterrence theory, which was suggested by Hobbes and continued by Beccari (Bosworth, 2005, p. 233), in its turn, cannot be viewed as the means of crime correction, as it defies the very principles of the current penal system. Seeing that the latter is aimed at rehabilitating criminals and promoting conscious behavioral correction in them, appealing to their fear of punishment will only lead to them searching for ways to avoid being caught. Therefore, deterrence theory, as any power that is based on fear, is doomed to failure unless supported by a stronger theory that will provide a more solid basis for setting the proper behavioral pattern among the citizens. While one must admit that it works rather well in the rational choice theory framework, the theory that would allow for a more conscious choice of acting within the existing legal boundaries is preferable. Therefore, the theoretical framework in question can be considered a viable strategy for correction measures, yet it needs to be supported by the enhancement of ethical values and moral principles within the society so that the theory in question could be used as the tool for crime correction.

The other theory is the containment theory that was proposed in the 1950s by Walker Reckless. It is a branch of the social control theory. The theory explains that every human is bound to make mistakes, but most of them resist committing crimes through the outer and inner containment (Reckless, 2007). It states that people abstain from committing crimes by containing their instincts. Containment theory shows that there are two ways of controlling crimes in society. Outer repression, which triggers the socialization of an individual and further acceptance of social norms, is a graphic example of the theory put into practice. The other method is the inner restraint that involves controlling oneself by enhancing tolerance and by following the appropriate standards. However, the acceptance and research of this theory have declined and are not applied in the current world. Little research has been found to prove the effectiveness of this theory (Lilly et al., 2014).

Conclusion

The above discussion shows that analyzing the reasons for people to commit crimes as well as discovering new means of reducing crime rates is possible. The government plays a major part in controlling crime rates. Theories such as the rational choice theory and problem-oriented policing among others explain why people engage in illegal actions even knowing that they do the wrong thing. In addition, the situational crime prevention theory and the crime pattern theory explain how crime can be prevented. The theories that describe how the law is enforced include the public and problem-oriented policing theories. Additionally, the situational crime prevention theory and the private enforcement theories allow explaining how law can be enforced. Finally, the rehabilitation and the containment theory are some of the theories that explain how crimes can be corrected, the latter being the key to altering the criminals’ behavior. Once the specified tools are incorporated into a single theory of addressing the increasing crime rates within a certain community, one will be capable of attaining an impressive reduction in the number of crimes committed. Moreover, one may claim that the measures listed above will alter society on a much deeper level by changing the manner, in which people perceive the concept of crime and punishment. In other words, the theories suggested above may provide the basis for developing social responsibility in every single citizen of the state, therefore, nearly eliminating the phenomenon of crime. Naturally, there will be singular instances of law-breaking no matter what measures are taken, yet the specified set of tools will allow for making crime an exception rather than an integral part of reality.

Reference List

Alford, R. P. (2012). A broken windows theory of international corruption. Scholarly Works. Paper 572, 1252–1282.

Bosworth, M. (2005). Encyclopedia of prison and correctional facilities. (Vols. 1-2). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publication.

Clancey, G., Lee, M. & Fisher, D. (2012). Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and the New South Wales crime risk assessment guidelines: A critical review. Crime Prevention and Community Safety, 14(1), 1–15.

Geason, S. & Wilson, P. (1988). Crime prevention theory and practices. Canberra, AU: Australian Institute of Criminology.

Lilly, J. R., Cullen, F. T. & Ball, R. A. (2014). Criminological theory: Context and consequences. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Maguire, E. R., Uchida, C. D. & Hassell, K. D. (2010). Problem-oriented policing in Colorado Springs: a content analysis of 753 cases. Crime & Delinquency, 20(1), 1-25.

Polinsky, A. M., & Shavell, S. (2006). Public enforcement of law. Stamford, CT: Stamford University.

Reckless, W. (2007). Containment theory: Control theory. Turnpike, FL: Homestead.

Rocque, M., Welsh, B. C., & Raine, A. (2012). Biosocial criminology and modern crime prevention. Journal of Criminal Justice, 40(3), 306-312.

Wortley, R. & Mazerolle, L. (2013). Environmental criminology and crime analysis. New York, NY: Routledge.

The notion of the white-collar crime can be used when referring to an extensive array of the criminal activities. Nonetheless, the focus of these crimes is a significant financial gain which is commonly achieved by dishonest behaviors (Siegel, 2015). The majority of scams, money laundering cases, and embezzlements may be considered white collar crimes. The fraudulent activity also relates to white collar crimes (these events usually include various scams and security frauds).

Other prevalent variations of white collar crimes include tax evasion and insurance fraud. It is important to notice that court verdicts for white collar crimes can be reached at both state and federal levels (Singh, 2014). The ultimate decision usually depends on the severity of the crime. Nevertheless, the criminal has to be aware of the criminal liability and realize the consequences of their actions.

When it comes to describing a typical white collar offender, there are certain behaviors that may serve as critical indicators. The two most prevalent characteristics are the tendency to spend more than they can afford and involvement in various financial problems (Gottschalk, 2014). The statistics support this supposition as approximately 30% of the white-collar offenders that were caught display the two behaviors described above. Moreover, one-fifth of white-collar offenders were found to have major personal problems and had issues with teamwork (Gottschalk, 2014). The majority of potential white-collar offenders also display petulance and may have a serious addiction to various substances (legal or illegal).

They also tend to complain about their low salary. One should realize that the presence of these characteristics does not necessarily mean that these individuals are white-collar offenders or will become the latter in the nearest future (Gottschalk, 2014). Regardless, every organization should be interested in hiring experts that possess specific knowledge regarding frauds and are able to identify the premises to fraudulent activities.

When we address white collar crimes, there are several things that should be taken into account before reaching a verdict regarding any given case. First, one should remember that punishment theory is the foundation of the idea of criminal law. In other words, this means that the behaviors that are not in line with the outlooks of the community should be punished (Benson & Simpson, 2015). Expanding on the topic, these laws are enforced on the society in order to accomplish full compliance with the guidelines, and they critically impact every member of the society. Regardless of the criminological theory, the ultimate goal of the criminal justice system is to punish the offender.

The procedure of punishment is a multidimensional and rather perplexing process. The repercussions and the premises intersect, and the court has to reach a verdict even if the offense was trivial and not harmful. White collar crimes habitually relate to court cases where blameworthiness is rather hard to prove. Nevertheless, one of the critical characteristics of the offender is the class to which they belong.

The unique features of white collar offenders commonly allow them to eliminate adversative considerations concerning their delinquent behaviors. The challenge of sentencing white collar offenders consists in the fact that courts have to remain transparent while providing a sufficient level of flexibility. Another challenge relates to the fact that currently, courts are not willing to connect sociology and the sentencing process even though the former stood at the origins of discussions on the topic of white collar crimes.

References

Benson, M. L., & Simpson, S. S. (2015). Understanding white-collar crime: An opportunity perspective. New York, NY: Routledge.

Gottschalk, P. (2014). Policing white-collar crime: Characteristics of white-collar criminals. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Siegel, L. J. (2015). Criminology: The core (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Singh, S. (2014). White-collar crimes: Causes, prevention, law and judicial trends. New York, NY: Routledge.

A victim of crime

A victim of a crime is a person who has undergone physical or emotional injury because of a crime (Jackson, 2003). The different categories of crimes a victim may experience include violent attacks, sexual assaults, or robbery. Louisiana’s crime victim rights are drawn in recognition of civic and moral duty of the victims of crime to be involved fully and voluntarily in the prosecution of crimes that affect them. The main idea of the statute is to foster the cooperation of the citizens affected by crimes to enhance the effectiveness of the justice system in Louisiana (National Crime Victim Law Institute, n.d.). The following paper summarizes Louisiana’s victim rights law by describing the rights, process, and benefits.

Rights

Constitutional protection for victims of crime is a fundamental right in both the federal and states governments in U.S. Louisiana ratified the rights for crime victims in 1998. The rights are enshrined in article 1, section 25. It states that a victim of crime should be accorded fair treatment, respect, and dignity (National Crime Victim Law Institute, n.d.). The law provides that the victim of a crime should be given reasonable notice and has the right to be present during the critical stages of court proceedings. In addition, the victim has the right to be notified upon the release of the offender or escape. It also confers the right to refuse to be interviewed by the person accused of committing the offense or a person representing the accused. Furthermore, the victim has the right to seek prompt execution of the case. In case the victim of the crime is a minor, the parent or the guardian has the right to request the notification. Similarly, for incapacitated or deceased victims, family members or guardians have the right to request the notifications.

Process

There is a formal process of exercising the right as conferred by Louisiana’s crime victim rights. To exercise the right and receive notices as outlined in the law, the victim or the family member representing the victim must complete Louisiana Victim Notice and Registration Form (Louisiana District Attorneys Association, 2015). The form is filled in the presence of a law enforcement agency that is given the mandate to investigate the crime. The form contains a section that should be filled by law enforcement officers at the scene of the crime and a section for the victim or his/her representatives. The reinforcement agency follows the steps for the prosecution of a criminal case that include the arrest, screening, grand hearing, arraignment, and court hearing proceedings. The law mandates that the Louisiana Victim Notice and Registration Form must be distributed to the victim or the victim’s family members. The notices should include the reasonable time for the judicial proceeding that relates to the case.

Benefits

Louisiana’s crime victim rights ensure that the victim of crime is not sidelined in the proceeding that relates to the court proceedings. For instance, the victim of crime participates in completing a victim impact statement which helps the court in understanding the implications of the crime on the victim’s life. In addition, the victim can benefit from restitution in which the judge compels the accused to pay for the losses. The victim of crime has the benefit of protection of privacy especially when evidence of the crime such as pornography or obscenity pertains to minors (Jackson, 2003). In addition, the law provides that the victim of the crime benefits from emergency, medical and social services that may be necessary.

References

Jackson, J. D. (2003). Justice for all: putting victims at the heart of criminal trial. Journal of Law and Society, 3 (1), 30.

Louisiana District Attorneys Association. (2015). Victim Services. Web.

National Crime Victim Law Institute. (n.d.). Louisiana victims’ rights laws. Web.

Introduction

In the Criminal Justice System, crime victims have been noted to go through extremely distressing emotional feelings, associated with trauma, extremely high levels of anxiety, abuse of substance, depression, and impaired interpersonal and interpersonal, and vocational functioning (Resnick et al., 1993). Best et al (2006) states that emotional distress consequently leads to the individual victim experiencing very extreme fear, anxiety, and “aversive physiological arousal” and that these kinds of psychological problems are particularly common and intense among the victims who experience physical assault that led to the sustenance of physical harm or injury that required them hospitalized.

However, the victims do not receive any form of assistance or information from the hospital that may help them to cope with this challenge nor get them an idea on how to get compensation if at all they are entitled to any, a problem aggravated by insufficient or lack of participation by the victims in the judicial process for fear of being reminded of the kind of both physical and emotional pain they experienced (Best et al., 2006). The lack of knowledge may further make matters worse in terms of how to manage their emotional problems, as has been experienced in several court cases especially when the uninformed victim is called to testify as a witness (Best et al., 2006).

In fact, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the victims’ emotional distress is triggered more when he or she sees the items or weapons that were used to harm him/ her, therefore tries to avoid any place where the weapon may be presented like a court, a temporary measure by the victims that is likely to be short-lived. The challenges have shown the need for strategies to address the gap.

As observed by Resnick et al. (1993), violence remains a rampant occurrence in the society with at least 10% f the United States residence exposed to a certain form of aggression in their lifetime, a trend confirmed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2001), National Crime Victimization Survey, which approximated that 60% of the victims did not report the violence to the police. However, the same data proved that this section of the affected group could easily be helped by appropriate strategies.

What is to be done and what methodology?

The program addresses the victims’ lack of knowledge on the process of the criminal justice system hence highlighting the benefits of full participation in the process of justice delivery. However, it mainly focuses on low cost but the high-quality method of message delivery to the people, with an aim of education to individuals rather than mass approach (Best et al., 2006).

This, therefore, requires a standardized delivery methodology, with the choice of well-scripted DVD use rather than mass media, for low cost and message delivery effectiveness to address the knowledge gap among the crime victims (Best et al., 2006). Best et al. (2006) says that the DVD contents are; criminal justice system process and its relevance to their problem, that entails the definition of frequently used terms in the criminal justice system like indictment and victim impact statements; victim’s rights discussions, crime compensation program explanation; and the benefits they are likely to draw once they participate in it such as gaining knowledge in the compensation process and procedure.

The DVD also contains more information on post-traumatic stress disorder and how to cope with symptoms or mitigate the impacts that come with it, the common psychological reactions from individuals who have been victimized, and how to reduce it (Best et al., 2006). The message, delivered with its brochure in a friendlier manner to avoid threatening or even embarrassing the victim, is somehow a replicate sample of the video-based rape victims’ intervention program (Rensick et al 1999).

In this program, the individuals who experienced serious bodily harm (injuries) get admission to the Trauma Center at the National Crime Victims Research Center of Medical University of South Carolina (Best et al., 2006). The services provided are the information on the available community agencies and social services that are valuable to the victims, information about the contacts of the advocates in the department of police, and information on the referrals especially for those who suffer mental health problems.

The Goals of the program

Overall, the actual goal of the DVD is to provide education to the victims of physical violence crime in the criminal justice system. It is also meant to help these victims reduce the emotional distress that they go through after such an experience. Designed to take 12 minutes of play, it is a color DVD with graphics that are meant to be attractive when watching for the victims with serious injuries from violent crimes. The accompanying multicolored, triple-fold brochure gives a clear summary of the main points, multiple shots from the DVD that is meant to remind the user/ viewer of the actual points illustrated in it (Best et al., 2006).

Even though the program is designed for the victims of violence who suffered psychological trauma and in the Criminal Justice System, to give them a reprieve in dealing with these consequences, the resultant Importance of this DVD is seen in a broader perspective than it was initially intended by the designers. According to Best et al. (2006), the other beneficiaries are out-patient emergency rooms, physical therapy facilities, rehabilitation centers, and primary healthcare clinics.

References

Best, L., Acierno, R., & Resnick, H. A multimedia program to improve criminal justice system participation and reduce distress among physically injured crime victims, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime. Web.

Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization in the United States, 2001, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.

Resnick, H.S., Kilpatrick, D.G., Dansky, B.S. Saunders, B.E, & Best, C.L., Prevalence of civilian trauma and PTSD in a representative national sample of women, Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology, No. 61(6), (1993).

Halliburton Company was known as the provider of clean, safe water for cooking and drinking for U.S. troops in Iraq. However, there were no actual testing procedures approving the high quality of water. In fact, the water was extremely contaminated. What is more threatening is that the military were not informed about potential risk this water posed to their health.

The soldiers and other employees involved in military actions used this water for drinking and showering with no awareness of the diseases by which they can be infected. With regard to the violations by the company can be regarded as white-collar crime because Halliburton committed illegal business operations aimed at gaining profits.

A white-collar crime refers to the illegal monetary gain that is committed by individuals taking privilege social positions. The main causes of violations committed by legal individuals are connected with threats to human health and safety. In this respect, in case the entity ignores these issues for the sake of gaining profits, it can be considered as an illegal act against the employees.

In addition, a white-collar crime also refers to the cases of unequal treatment of employees predetermined by their social position. Finally, the consequences of white-collar crime are not purely financial because they negatively affect the physical and mental welfare of the employees. Being ignorant of the company’s activities, employees are under the risk of losing their positions in case they refuse to perform certain tasks.

With regard to the above-presented features, Halliburton Company can be accused of white-collar crime against military troops in Iraq due to several reasons. First, the company gained high profits at the expense of employee’s health by providing contaminated water and low quality food provision.

Second, their business operations created a serious threat to safety and health of U.S. employees because of the conditions under which they lived, as well as contaminated water they provided. No testing procedures have been introduced to ensure that the water is safe to consume. Finally, Halliburton Company introduced services whose pricing was much higher than it should be. For instance, the soldiers needed to pay $ 99 for laundry instead of $ 3 that was an accepted price (WeAreONEBigFamily).

The company also provided troops with foods whose expiration date had passed. The Halliburton managers gave order to their workers to remove bullets from packages in trucks to give the food to unaware soldiers. The costs for various products and services had been tripled due to the increased taxes imposed on consumers.

The evidence suggests that the company’s breach of established regulations were crucial because managers failed to introduce social corporate responsibility that would ensure safety and protection of their consumers.

Gaining profits, therefore, was not acceptable as soon as the health and welfare of consumers were concerned. In fact, Halliburton executives actively ignored the cooperation with government auditors in the United States, as well as failed to warn the soldiers and providers of potential dangers of transporting goods and medicines.

In conclusion, it should be stressed that the Hamilton committed a serious white-collar crime against military troops in Iraq by violated their consumer rights. The case refers to ignorance of quality standards in delivering food, water, and other products, which threatened employees’ safety and health. Finally, all the business activities were aimed at gaining profits by increasing costs and raising taxes.

Works Cited

WeAreONEBigFamily. “Halliburton Poisoned Their Own USA Soldiers in Iraq! Ex Marine Speaks Out”. Online video clip. YouTube. 8 Sept. 2011. Web.