What Challenges Does Globalization Present for the Comparative Criminological Endeavour - Essay Example

What challenges does globalization present for the comparative criminological Endeavour? Introduction Comparative criminology is described as the study of the social phenomenon of crime among different cultures, to help in identifying similarities and differences in crime patterns across the respective cultures. It is, therefore, an endeavor applied in the analysis of crime patters in different regions across the globe and over different cultures especially by the crime departments in order to understand the causes of crime and their perseverance level1. It is one of the best approaches in handling crime as different solutions can be identified for respective regions depending on the outcomes in terms of causes and subjects involved. On the other hand, Globalization is a process understood to integrate societies, cultures and regional economies through a global network of transportation, trade and communication. It means, therefore, that they become integrated as one and the same thing. This paper looks into challenges that globalization presents for the comparative criminological endeavor. Looking at the concept of globalization, the integration of societies has made it difficult for the comparisons as it narrows the differences across regions. Globalization has also integrated new technological advances that have integrated crimes. For instance, wireless communications and the more advances including the Internet have brought regions across the globe closer and made transactions and crimes easier than before2. In this case it has been through globalization that cooperation of criminals across the globe has been facilitated internationally,3 therefore, making it hard to develop a comparative analysis across the regions. In the globalized era, criminals across the respective regions think global, and act locally an issue that has been of considerable challenge to comparative analysis as the thoughts have been integrated together with the governments having a hard time in differentiating the forms of crime being committed. The growth of technology owed to globalization enriches the knowledge of individual criminals of any region geographically across the world. For instance, the use of cyber space has been an enormous avenue for criminals to commit crimes, therefore, helping them hone up cultural skills4. The sharpening up of cultural skills, therefore, has challenged comparative analysis as there seems to be a similarity in the types of crimes being committed and the subjects involved do have such similarities. Instead, the analysis of crime has been rather global that specific to particular regions due to this integration5. As a result of globalization, criminals have become easily familiarized with the respective local cultures of a given region; however, it becomes exceptionally difficult for the law enforcement agencies of a given region to learn and understand the local culture of another region meaning that the comparative analysis remains a riddle for the respective regions6. The agencies conducting the comparative analysis will need to develop a good relationship or sign up some treaties with other regions of which this becomes difficult for the subjects involved. With the globalization of cyber space, crimes ideally of physical space are perpetually globalized long back. Finally, globalization has brought in new crimes in respective regions for instance gambling, drug trade, sex crimes and money laundering outsourced from other regions and become part of the particular region. Therefore, a comparative analysis is rather invalid as some of the identified crimes in a given region are rather outsourced elsewhere and not from the given region. Conclusion In conclusion, as described, comparative criminology is described as the study of the social phenomenon of crime among different cultures, to help in identifying similarities and differences in crime patterns across the respective cultures. However, because of globalization which is the process of integrating societies, cultures and regional economies through a global network, it has become exceptionally difficult for the analysis endeavor. Traditionally, comparative criminology predominantly had the focus on the comparison of self-contained and isolated cultures and arrangements. However, the globalized has altered states of self-containment and isolation and produce interrelation spheres and this in itself provides a challenge to the endeavor of comparison relatively known as the comparative method. Rather than crossing and identifying new frontiers, comparative criminology in the global world should concern itself with the established complex interplay between national, city, global, and sub city levels. It is only then that the comparison will be made possible across the globalized regions of the world. How and why is an appreciation of cultural relativism important to comparative criminology? Introduction Comparative criminology as the description goes is the study of the social phenomenon of crime among different cultures, to help in identifying similarities and differences in crime patterns across the respective cultures. Thus, this is an endeavor applied in the analysis of crime patterns in different regions across the globe and over different cultures especially by the crime departments in order to understand the causes of crime and their perseverance level. In applying this concept, it is the best approaches in handling crime as different solutions can be identified for respective regions depending on the outcomes in terms of causes and subjects involved. Comparatively, Cultural relativism is the general principle, which an individual human's activities and beliefs should be understood relatively in terms of his culture7. Franz Boas explained that conceptions and ideas of an individual only become true so far as the culture undergoes civilization. This paper discusses the importance of appreciating cultural relativism in the comparative criminology practice. Having a relative mind in comparative criminology, therefore, draws away the concept of Ethnocentrism. In the traditional concept, it was okay having an ethnocentric approach in the analysis of crime. However, the modern state of globalization has diversified cultures and in no way can crimes be sidelined or understood in a single perspective. They are rather better understood in a relative manner where the analysis is conducted past the cultural understanding. Through cultural relativism, comparative criminology in the global world concerns itself with the established complex interplay between national, city, global, and sub city levels and does away with the ethnocentric perspective that would narrow the comparative method. Appreciation of cultural relativism in practicing comparative criminology is critical as it helps different regions help develop an understanding of the new crimes being adopted in a particular culture. It is only through this that helps in differentiating the forms of crime being committed in a particular region8. Especially with the growth of technology owed to globalization, there is an enrichment of the knowledge of individual criminals of any region geographically across the world and, therefore, ethnocentrism does not have any place in understanding cultural diversities currently, only through cultural relativism will this application prevail9. Cultural relativists and supporters of change uphold that cultures are different basically from one another, and, therefore, understand different practices in a culture through the moral frameworks, which structure relations within diverse societies. In international relations, the relativists resolve whether an action is 'wrong' or 'right' by evaluating it as per the ethical standards of the community within which the particular action occurs10. Therefore, it will be possible to have a greater and broader understanding of human behavior that leads to criminal acts in respective regions and differentiate the adopted crimes and the locally brewed crimes in a particular culture. In the globalized era, criminals across the respective regions think global, and act locally an issue that has been of considerable challenge to comparative analysis that has been using ethnocentrism. This is because they cannot incorporate other views of criminal behaviors and, therefore, have a wrong understanding of causes of different crimes11. For instance, cyber space crimes are mainly understood only from a cultural relativist approach as ethnocentrism restricts the argument in understanding the particular crime12. Conclusion In conclusion comparative criminology has been long described as the study of the social phenomenon of crime among different cultures, to help in identifying similarities and differences in crime patterns across the respective cultures. In understanding these similarities and differences in a global world, ethnocentrism narrows down the understanding which is a negative attribute to understanding crime. Only through cultural relativism does the understanding of crime get broader and better because it incorporates many diverse cultural attributes and from diverse regions. With societies adopting cultural elements from each other, nothing borders the similarities and differences in crime and soon, these crimes might be all over across the different regions and only through Cultural relativism will there be an understanding of the originality of respective crimes. References Andreas, P., and Nadelmann, E. 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