Date of Award
7-2006
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Sociology
First Advisor
Dr. Ronald C. Kramer
Second Advisor
Dr. Susan Carlson
Third Advisor
Dr. Barry Goetz
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Don Cooney
Abstract
On April 28, 2004, pictures of abuse and torture of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison by U.S. military personnel shocked many Americans. In the wake of the images, it became clear that several military personnel were involved in the acts of torture and abuse. This dissertation explores the interconnections of larger structural factors, state policies, and individual actors in an attempt to understand how and why torture and abuse occurred at Abu Ghraib. It builds upon an integrated theoretical model of state and corporate crime. The dissertation revises this model so that it can better address the complexities o f state crime within the international arena. The findings suggest that despite unequivocal individual responsibility, this was not simply a case of a few individual acts committed by rogue soldiers. Rather, a thorough investigation and criminological analysis o f the reasons and forces behind the torture at Abu Ghraib suggest that the Executive Branch, the Pentagon, CIA, and Military Commanders bear culpability for the way in which their policies and demands for intelligence altered the traditional handling of prisoners.
Access Setting
Dissertation-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Rothe, Dawn, "The Masquerade of Abu Ghraib: State Crime, Torture, and International Law" (2006). Dissertations. 981.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/981
Included in
Criminology Commons, Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons