Abstracts
Résumé
Cet article passe en revue diverses théories criminologiques et les confronte à la réalité de ce que l’auteur appelle les « mégacrimes » (actes généralement criminalisés et produisant la perte de vies humaines à grande échelle). Il en ressort que les outils théoriques de la criminologie sont largement impuissants lorsqu’il s’agit de rendre compte de tels crimes. Non pas qu’ils soient à l’extérieur de son objet, il s’agit bien de conduites dommageables réfléchies, organisées, produisant des victimes et impliquant des systèmes de droit, après tout, mais bien que la discipline se soit surtout penchée sur les conduites purement individuelles.
Abstract
This paper reviews a few current criminological theories and evaluates their ability to account for what the author refers to as “mega-crimes” (acts widely criminalized at the international level and producing large-scale loss of human life). The exercise shows that criminology is simply incapable of explaining mega-crimes. Not that these acts are outside of its defined field of study: after all they, like common crimes, cause damage to victims, are voluntary, thought-out actions, organized and in interaction with various judicial systems. The reason for this incapability to account for vast portions of what should be its object is rather to be found in its narrow but persistent focus on purely individual conduct.
Appendices
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