Cultural criminology

Abstract

Cultural criminology explores the many ways in which cultural dynamics intertwine with the practices of crime and criminal control in contemporary society; in other words, cultural criminology emphasizes the centrality of meaning and representation in the construction of crime as a momentary event, a subcultural effort and a social issue. From this point of view, the appropriate subject of criminology transcends traditional notions of crime and causality of crime, to include images of illicit behavior and symbolic displays of law enforcement; constructions of popular culture of crime and criminal action; and the shared emotions that animate criminal events, perceptions of criminal threats and public efforts to control crime.