In the Summer of 2010, a Deep-Water Oil Rig Suffered

question 76

Essay

In the summer of 2010, a deep-water oil rig suffered a major malfunction and began to spew thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The oil spill devastated the gulf's economy, killing wildlife, covering beaches with oil and sludge, and making fishing in the waters hazardous. Investigators discovered that there was possible negligence on behalf of the oil company that owned the rig. What type of crime was this? As a sociologist, what kind of policy changes (at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels) would you suggest in order to prevent this crime from happening again? Which sociological theories support your suggestions?

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Definitions:

Variable Cost

Costs that change in proportion to the level of activity or volume of production, such as materials and labor.

Cost of Goods Sold

The total cost directly associated with producing the goods sold by a business during a specific period, including labor, materials, and manufacturing overhead.

Product Costs

The costs directly associated with producing goods, including direct materials, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead.

Period Costs

Expenses that are not directly tied to the production process and are expensed in the period in which they occur, such as selling and administrative expenses.