Critically evaluate the proposition that states are the worst Essay

Critically evaluate the proposition that states are the worst perpetrators of terror ( criminology) - Essay Example State crime is treated as a response or a consequence to the incidence of threats to national security, insurgent violence or a phenomenon that is endemic to the transitional and the third world countries (Ross 2000, p3). State crime is infiltrative and is committed in varying degrees by all countries in the world. The state is considered as the initiator rather than the target or the mediator of the crime. Despite the fact that the private institutions hold more forcible power, the state still holds the special legal authority to compel to do something (Ross 2000, p3). State crimes include homicide, sexual assault, crimes of violence, serious assaults, torture, kidnapping, embezzlement, bribery, all forms of corruption and economic crime. The magnitude of such crimes is sometimes very big and ordinary words like murder become inadequate and they are replaced by terms like genocide. Some of the most serious crimes in the world are committed by the state. This paper will critically evaluate state crimes in light of its seriousness in various occasions. Corruption can be described as the abuse of the public office for personal gain and the abuse of the public power for personal benefit. The World Bank defines corruption as the abuse of the public office for personal or private gain. The Transparency international defines corruption as the abuse of delegated for personal or private gain. Corruption is a form of behaviour that deviates from the official duties of the public role (Stachowicz-Stanusch 2010, p132). Corruption can be either be passive or active and this is dependent on the person to whom it is being requested or the person who has the power of decision making. Corruption can be private among certain individuals. Public corruption happens in the public sphere of government administration and politics (Stachowicz-Stanusch 2010, p132). Some examples of corruption include collusion, bribery, fraud, embezzlement of public funds, theft, abuse of