International Journal for Crime and Justice (Queensland University of Technology)
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Illegalisms of the Powerful in Argentina’s Energy Sector: Selectivity, Social Harm and Accumulation by Dispossession
No full textThis article examines how the illegalisms of the powerful, perpetrated by financial actors in the Global North, inflict significant social harm on peripheral economies operating with legal and social impunity. This dynamic is investigated through a qualitative case study focusing on the litigation financed by the Burford Capital fund against Argentina for the expropriation of the oil company YPF SA, as well as through the analysis of a documentary corpus composed mainly of the fund’s own annual reports. It is argued that these actors transform legal systems into a technology of power to execute a contemporary form of accumulation by dispossession, thereby shaping a (neo)colonial geopolitics of impunity. The findings reveal the specific mechanisms of this dispossession: “litigation investment” is characterised by its inherent asymmetrical nature, due to low risk and extraordinary profit. Furthermore, the “creation of secondary markets” for legal claims enables funds to secure profits and reduce their exposure to risk even before a final judgment is made. The article’s primary contribution to the field of critical criminology is twofold. First, it offers a strategic theoretical hybridisation of Foucauldian analytics, Latin American critical criminology and zemiology to analyse harms that are not classified as crimes according to criminal law. Second, by shifting the focus from the concept of “crime” to that of “illegalism” and “social harm,” the work provides empirical content to concepts such as “accumulation by dispossession” and strengthens a criminological perspective from the Global South
Sentencing Women, Silencing Care: The Best Interests of the Child and the Need for a Feminist Sentencing Framework
No full textThis article explores the need for a gender-sensitive approach to sentencing women – particularly mothers – who are in conflict with the law. Focusing on the sentencing frameworks of South Africa and Australia, two common law jurisdictions, it examines whether caregiving responsibilities are adequately recognised as a mitigating factor during sentencing. In both jurisdictions, socio-economic conditions and gendered caregiving roles are often overlooked, to the detriment of vulnerable women. The research questions whether existing sentencing principles reflect women’s lived realities or remain shaped by patriarchal norms. Grounded in international and regional standards, this article proposes practical guidelines to ensure that caregiving responsibilities are meaningfully considered in sentencing decisions
The Shifting Landscape of Organised Crime
No full textWhile organised crime has long been entrenched in Latin America, the spatial configuration of violence associated with it has undergone significant transformations in recent years. Homicide rates have escalated beyond traditional epicentres, spreading to countries once perceived as relatively safe. In Ecuador, the homicide rate rose by 429% between 2019 and 2024, largely driven by drug-related violence, while in Uruguay, 21% of homicides are connected to conflicts related to the illegal drug market. Beyond security concerns, organised crime undermines governance, erodes trust and constrains development. This article develops a mid-range analytical framework to explain these trends, linking criminal group fragmentation, institutional weakness and illegal market dynamics through the concepts of criminal governance and thick crime habitats. Using comparative case studies of Montevideo, Rosario, Guayaquil and Limón, it shows how organised crime adapts to varying contexts of institutional fragility and illegal market dynamics. The findings contribute to the refinement of existing theories of state–crime relations and highlight the emergence of new forms of criminal governance in urban and lower-violence contexts
Livestock Theft in the Media: Quantitative Reporting Trends Across South African Provinces (April 2018 to March 2025)
No full textThis study examines how livestock theft – the most common rural crime in South Africa – is portrayed in the media across the nine regions between April 2018 and March 2025. Using quantitative media visibility analysis, it evaluates the alignment between public discourse and criminal prevalence by comparing digital media mentions of ‘stock theft’ and ‘veediefstal’ with official crime statistics. The results show a glaring disparity: while livestock theft remains under-reported in the media, farm murders – an unrelated but more sensational rural crime – receive disproportionate coverage, particularly in Indigenous and Afrikaans-language media. Urban provinces garner the most media attention despite having lower theft rates, underscoring linguistic and infrastructure biases. The increased media references coincide with the National Livestock Theft Prevention Forum (NSTPF) receiving statutory funding in 2022, indicating that institutional involvement can enhance visibility. Using Tabbert’s linguistic framing and Shoemaker and Reese’s news production theory, the study argues that media coverage is manufactured rather than reflective. It concludes that the South African media coverage of livestock theft is skewed by language and geography, sidelining rural communities and distorting public understanding. A more inclusive media is essential to ensure justice, equity and visibility for all
Flat-Pack Reintegration? National Ownership, Promises and Flaws in Cameroon’s Disarmament and Demobilization Program for Ex-Boko Haram Combatants
Full text linkThis article examines the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) program in Cameroon, focusing on former Boko Haram combatants. Based on qualitative research from December 2020 to January 2022, this study includes 37 interviews with former combatants and DDR administrators in three Cameroonian cities. It analyzes the challenges of the national ownership of the DDR programs, emphasizing the role of middle-range actors and local practices in enhancing reintegration efforts. The research highlights the complexities of the DDR process and the need for a coherent framework integrating interdisciplinary insights. By proposing a conceptual framework of dissociation and examining how national appropriation, understood as the process through which state actors take ownership of and implement instruments designed externally, is constructed and enacted, this article aims to contribute to the development of more nuanced, context-sensitive DDR programs tailored to the specific challenges of diverse post-conflict environments
“We’ve got bigger fish to fry…” Key Informant Perspectives on Hoon Driving in Victoria, Australia
Full text linkNuisance driving, involving excess speed, loss of tyre traction, and/or the production of excessive smoke and noise (referred to in Australia as ‘hoon driving’), is typically problematised as reckless and dangerous. Local councils and government agencies have implemented specific deterrent- and enforcement-focused responses. However, there is a limited body of evidence regarding the specific harms associated with hoon driving. This article draws from a multi-modal study initiated by Victoria’s Department of Justice and Community Safety. It sets out findings from interviews with key informants (N=34) from state government; local councils; emergency services; and driving-focused agencies, programs and organisations. These interviews examined informants’ perceptions and experiences of hoon drivers, why they do it, and the harms associated with it. Within a media and legislative context that increasingly demonises hoon drivers and positions hoon driving as inherently dangerous, key informants demonstrated understanding of nuance with respect to specific harms. This included the need to differentiate between fear and perceptions of potential harm, and actual risk and harms. A better understanding of why people engage in these activities could support more creative approaches (to deter and/or more appropriately enable hoon driving), which are place-based, community-specific, and which could more effectively prioritise and address concerns
Improving Health to Reduce Risk of Youth Reoffending: Results of a Nurse Navigator Program for People Involved in the Youth Justice System
Full text linkEmerging research demonstrates that poor health is a predictor of offending and that this relationship may be mediated by other known predictors of offending, including problems in education and family relationships. This study examines the initial results of a new program in Queensland, Australia, which aims to lower the risk of reoffending among young people by proving targeted healthcare assistance. The results show that the program improved the overall health of the participants. Importantly, the program also led to improvements in other domains that are known predictors of offending, even though in most cases no direct assistance was provided in those domains. Therefore, this study lends support to the research showing there may be causal links between health and known predictors of offending. This finding shows that assistance in health care should be considered when designing programs for young people who have been involved in the justice system
“Doing Their Jobs”: Legal Regulation of Policing and Suicide Risk of Justice-Involved Persons in Singapore
Full text linkUsing the island nation-state of Singapore as a case study, this article conceptualizes the legal regulation of policing as a risk factor for suicide among justice-involved persons. Through the lens of legal epidemiology, it discusses public health research and criminal procedure jurisprudence to theorize the unintended consequences of the police “doing their job” in accordance with a legal framework that prioritizes crime control and order maintenance. It examines how two aspects of policing—the power of arrest and the interrogation process—may influence the mental health and suicide risk of justice-involved persons. This article thus calls attention to the role of law in shaping policing practices and their effects and lends support to calls for stronger due process protections from a public health perspective
Housing and Homelessness in Australia: The Case of Marginalised Women Leaving Prison in New South Wales (NSW)
Full text linkFinding safe, secure, and ongoing housing is critical for women leaving prison and is central to rebuilding their lives and supporting desistance. Consistent with global trends, the number of women received into prison in Australia has increased, especially amongst First Nations women. Meanwhile, Australia is experiencing a housing crisis with soaring house prices; long waiting lists for public, social, and community housing; and limited affordable housing stock. This paper explores women’s pathways to prison, focusing on the nexus between women’s incarceration and homelessness. It also critically reviews policy and post-release programs intended to provide throughcare, support, and housing for women exiting prisons, drawing on New South Wales (NSW), Australia as a case example. Finally, it highlights the policy and practice changes required for women to leave prison and be supported to find and maintain a safe and affordable home
Polluter by Proxy: Norwegian Environmentally Harmful Mining Activities in Brazil as State-Corporate Crime
Full text linkThis article examines the role of state actors in polluting activities across borders, focusing on a case study of Norway’s role in Norsk Hydro’s polluting activities in Barcarena, Brazil from 1967 to 2024. Foreign corporations have long exploited Brazil’s natural resources, with Norwegian enterprises increasingly involved. Norsk Hydro’s operations, particularly at the Alunorte alumina refinery, have caused severe ecological damage. Using state-corporate crime theory and Southern green criminology, this study analyses leaks, toxic waste disposal in rivers and asymmetrical mining standards. To assess environmental standards, this study conducted interviews, document analyses, site visits and literature reviews. Our findings indicate that Norwegian public and private interests are intertwined, with profit motives undermining environmental aspirations and stated policies. This tendency to subordinate environmental protection abroad to financial expediency domestically is generalized through the concept of polluters by proxy. This concept attempts to represent types of activities where state actors produce environmental harm abroad and benefit economically while distancing themselves from direct responsibility by taking advantage of corporate structures.Este artigo examina o papel do estado norueguês nas atividades poluentes da Norsk Hydro em Barcarena, Brasil, de 1967 a 2024. As corporações estrangeiras há muito exploram os recursos naturais do Brasil, com empresas norueguesas cada vez mais envolvidas. As operações da Norsk Hydro, particularmente na refinaria de alumínio Alunorte, causaram graves danos ecológicos. Usando a teoria do crime corporativo-estatal e a criminologia verde do Sul, este estudo analisa vazamentos, descarte de resíduos tóxicos em rios e padrões de mineração assimétricos. Para avaliar os padrões ambientais, este estudo conduziu entrevistas, análises de documentos, visitas a locais e revisões de literatura. Nossas descobertas indicam que os interesses públicos e privados noruegueses estão interligados, com motivos de lucro minando as aspirações ambientais e as políticas declaradas. Essa tendência de subordinar a proteção ambiental no exterior à conveniência financeira internamente é generalizada por meio do conceito de "poluidores por procuração". Este conceito tenta representar tipos de atividades em que os atores estatais produzem danos ambientais remotamente, sem responsabilidade proporcional pela poluição distanciada, aproveitando as estruturas corporativas