Abstract
Criminology seeks to offer ways to understand crime and to define criminal acts and system restitution. Is there a way in which it can be sufficiently applied in analyzing state crimes, crimes against humanity, and in specific the incidences of torture? There is a great need for theoretical research accounts on this matter. The study attempts to explore this very aspect of deviance through the lens of anomie theory. Among other sources, the data utilized for this study were gathered from a governmental report on the investigation of Abu Ghraib detention facility, a report by International Committee of the Red Cross published in 2004, and numerous theoretical/descriptive accounts published in various articles and journals. The study demonstrates that the anomie theory provides a useful framework for understanding the abuse and torture that occurred at Abu Ghraib prison during the American occupation of Iraq. It further provides a way to apply the classical theory of anomie to the problem of torture, genocide, and human rights violations.