TOPIC 4220

Description

Discuss the issues surrounding the “assembly-for-export” plants in Mexico called, “Maquiladoras” from

the perspective of the Mexican workers and the US companies that support them

Discuss how social class produces different types of crime – and give examples of each to support your

discussion

ANSWER.

ANS.1

Maquiladora is a Mexican assembly plant that imports materials and equipment duty-free and tariff-free

for assembly or manufacturing for export. They are owned by non-Mexican corporations that take

advantage of low-cost labor.

Environmental problems

The companies are violating the law. Their facilities are not meeting the Mexican standards. They spew

pollutants in the river streams by paying brides. The same water from the Rio Grande River is the single

source for the Mexican workers living there with their families. This has also led to the appearance of

health-related problems such as cancer.

Social problems

The abuse and mistreatment of maquiladora workers. The workers get meager pay that is far much too

little to support their families.

The workers are not given enough training or proper equipment. Women are subjected to unfair

discrimination. For instance, women workers are forced to routinely urine testing and if found pregnant

they are dismissed from their jobs.

Poverty

The workers that work in these companies are unskilled and untrained. Therefore they do even gain a

single skill from these companies in order to better their lives. This perpetuates their poor living

conditions.

ANS.2

The lower class.

Consists of people who are homeless, unemployed, and live in abject poverty or people who are

employed but get meager pay in that they cannot satisfactorily cater for their basic needs. The type of

crime common among this social status is Crime against the property. It involves burglary, larceny, auto

theft, and arson.

 Upper class

They consist of people who are employed and are rich enough to cater to their primary needs. The most

prevalent type of crime among people in this social status is known as white-collar crime. People of high

social status commit their crimes in the context of their occupation. They may include insider trading,

tax invasion, or embezzlement.