Criminology theories provide important insight into the important factors that are expected and thought to bring to light crime and delinquency. Criminology is a wide discipline with numerous theories that cannot stand alone since none of the theories can adequately elaborate various types of crimes given that there exist many variations in crime and delinquency.
Peacekeeping criminology in Silk Road
One of the major criminology theories is the peacekeeping theory which is a recently emerging theory seeking to explain crimes and delinquency (Weber, 2016). The theory of peacekeeping criminology can be explained using the film Silk Road. Silk Road is widely seen as a virtual crypto movement that is aimed at providing extensive freedom away from the state policies and oppressive drug wars. In an era of computer-mediated-communication, Silk Road has revolutionized drug trade taking a new path from the traditional violent drug trade.
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Traditionally, illegal trade was characterized by violence where organized drug cartels employed the use of firearms and other violent means to acquire and expand market share (Weber, 2016). According to recent studies, the drug trade is seen as a form of rebellion requiring a criminological study to evaluate the facts that drive drug dealing.
Peacekeeping criminology takes a different path from the radical criminology indicating that crimes and delinquency are resultant of suffering. Continued research in Weber (2016), show a positive correlation between drug use and trade with some extent of suffering. The aspects of systemic racism, stigmatization as well as state propagated oppressive policies are examples of sufferings shown to result in drug use and trade. Given that Silk Road forms a virtual network where drug transactions are undertaken without buyers meeting sellers physically, it becomes difficult for the state to make inroads in the trade using political and oppressive policies.
The simultaneous virtual existence of Silk Road is an indication of a status frustration that is possibly resulting in stigma and conflict emanating from labeling. The aspect of stigma which can be presumed as a form of suffering among drug users and traders is entrenched on the peacekeeping criminological perspective of suffering as a recipe for crime and delinquency. Fighting drugs and drug abuse is majorly an ideological conflict that makes users and traders in drugs and contrabands be viewed as deviant.
Nonviolence in the drug trade
As a virtual network, Silk Road has introduced a way to deal in contrabands and drugs without a trace since the network uses a cryptocurrency and “the onion routing” to ensure anonymity. The shifting criminal innovation has shown that violence is not necessary for conducting contraband trade since people who do not have physical contact cannot engage in gunfights to protect territories and resolve conflicts. It can be argued that as shown in Silk Road having muscles is less important than good writing and customer service skills.
Studies into the working of the Silk Road show that drug lords are at the epitome of the trade on the Silk Road platform. Traditional drug trade which is characterized by violence continuously leads to intense conflicts between customers and dealers. Virtual network reduces the possibility of violence erupting when deals turn sour since law enforcers and competitors cannot trace where users are. As in peacekeeping criminology, non-violence is a widely used concept with the theory postulating that using violent means to settle criminal justice only works to propagate crime and delinquency (Weber, 2016). The founder of Silk Road argued that he intended to create a platform for a non-violent trade away from traditional violent cartels. Additionally, there exists a barrier of entry into Silk Road acting as a propensity for downplaying violence.
The Silk Road can be viewed as a rebellious movement to challenge the societal structure while initiating rejection of political oppression. As research in Weber (2016) indicates, peacekeeping criminology perception is built on instituting societal change using other means other than a punitive correctional criminal justice system. As such in the war on drugs which has been largely politicized shows the state as a villain and Silk Road as the hero championing reforms in the society. Additionally, Silk Road acted to bring other market players on contrabands using virtual networks and cryptocurrency who copied the model of trade by Silk Road.
Shortcomings of Peacekeeping Criminology shown on Silk Road
The Silk Road film acts to poke holes in the peacekeeping theory of criminology. First, the theory is shown as not being feasible and unrealistic in that the government has to employ punitive policies to bring down probabilities of more silent rebellions such as Silk Road. The virtual network trading in contrabands presents a revolutionary aspect common with the Marxist theory of criminology. According to Weber (2016), the peacekeeping criminology theory adopts Marxism in part given that it does not seem to accept the idea of revolutionary violence but holds dear the concept of equality from Marxism. Silk Road sought to “end economic oppression” as posted on its platform thus bringing the equality concept.
References
Weber, L. (2016). Routledge International Handbook of Criminology and Human Rights . Florence, UNITED STATES: Taylor and Francis.
