Postmodernism Flashcards
A new definition of crime
Argue it is necessary to go beyond narrow legal definitions and develop a wider conception
Henry and Milovanics
Crime should be seen as the use of power to disrespect/harm whether legal or not (zemiology)
What are the 2 types of harm Henry and Milovanics identify?
1- Harm of reduction
2- Harm of repression
What are harms of reduction?
Cause victims some form of immediate loss or injury
- theft or murder
What are harms of repression?
Restricts future development
- racial abuse, hate crime
What are 5 key postmodernist ideas?
1- Society is more individualistic (Foucault)
2- Surveillance society (Foucault)
3- Risk society (Beck)
4- Difference and resentment (Denzin)
5- Incoherence (Levin and McDevitt)
What do Levin and McDevitt say in relation as to why people commit crime?
Crime derives from thrills, excitement and pleasure as well as an escape from every day routines
Society is more individualistic
Foucault- Individualism= no obligations to others
- crime, one-off event expressing individual identity
Katz and Lyng- thrill-seeking (edgework)
- low self esteem may be overcome by criminal activities
Surveillance society (Foucault)
CCTV, gated communities (lower crime rates)
- can lead to more crime opportunities
- cyber crime, advertise wealth with protection measures
May be motivated by the innovation
Risk society (Beck)
People being scared, take measures to protect themselves against crime
- can increase the risk of crime
- knife and gun crime
Difference and resentment (Denzin)
Big gaps between expectations and achievements
- society is a global village connected by the mass media highlighting how different we are
Lah and Urry- wild spaces
Incoherence (Levin and McDevitt)
Most crime is a result of ‘thrill-seeking’
- reward for violence and theft is as much psychological as it is social, thrill of making someone suffer
X not explain why vast majority of the population is law abiding
BUT Fenwick and Hayward provide an escape from the dullness of everyday routines
