Publications

Colonialization and crime : contemporary consequences of invasion on Indigenous peoples in rural places

Patrick C Jobes

Published in:
International review of sociology, 14(1), 2004.

Abstract

The contention of this paper is that colonisation, the occupation of foreign lands and the imposition of political, economic and social domination, created conditions that are fundamental to the understanding of modern crime, particularly among indigenous peoples. The term colonisation is used synonymously with immigration, invasion and settlement. The paper examines the influence of colonisation in rural Pakistan, Romania, the United States and Australia and its impact on crime levels. The author observes that the earlier the colonisation, the more demoralised and self-abusive the invaded. The levels of alcoholism, assaults and thefts among native Americans and Australian Aborigines exemplify this generalisation. In addition, an increasing number of indigenous criminals feel justified because they have a feasible grievance against conventional society. The paper also draws out the dark implications of this analysis for crime prevention among rural indigenous peoples.