The death of jill meagher: Crime and punishment on social media

Abstract

In this paper we analyse the kidnapping, rape and murder of Jill Meagher to highlight a range of issues that emerge in relation to criminalisation, crime prevention and policing strategies on social media, issues that, in our opinion, require immediate and thorough theoretical engagement. An in-depth analysis of Jill Meaghers case and its newsworthiness in traditional media is a challenging task that is beyond the scope of this paper. Rather, the focus for this particular paper is on the process of agenda-building, particularly via social media, the impact of the social environment, and the capacity of ordinary citizens to influence the agenda-defining process. In addition, we analyse the depth of the target audience on social media, the threat of a trial by social media, and the place of social media in the context of pre-crime and surveillance debates. Finally, we call for more audacious and critical engagement by criminologists and social scientists in addressing the challenges posed by new technologies.