Postmodernism and Crime

• Postmodernists argue that we now live in a postmodern world characterised by diversity and fragmentation. They stress that society is changing so rapidly and constantly that it is marked by uncertainty.
• Postmodernists view 'crime' as a social construction, based on a narrow legal definition, reflecting an outdated meta-narrative of the law which does not reflect the diversity of postmodern society.
• Crime is presented as simply an expression of the view of those with power of how people should conduct themselves, and denies peoples freedom, self-identity and difference.
• Postmodernists argue that it is necessary to go beyond legal narrow definitions of crime and develop a wider conception of crime based on justice and respect for peoples chosen identities and lifestyles.
• Henry and Milovanovic (1996)


  Suggest that crime should be taken beyond the narrow legal definitions to a wider conception of social harm, embracing all threats and risks to people pursuing increasingly diverse lifestyles and identities. They suggest that crime should be re-conceptualised not simply as breaking laws, but as people using power to show disrespect for others by causing them harm of some sort.
• Henry and Milovanovic identify two forms of harm:

  1. Harms of reduction
  2. Harms of repression
• Harms of reduction


  power is used to cause a victim to experience some immediate loss or injury.
• Harms of repression


  Power is used to restrict future human development.
• For postmodernists, society is characterised by a fragmentation of this social structure: the meta-narratives of social class, work and family, which formed people identity and gave them their social roles and values, and integrated them into society, have been replaced with uncertainty and individual choice of identity.
• Individual increasingly focus on themselves, often with little regard or respect to others.
• Each crime becomes a one-off event expressing whatever identity an individual chooses at that time, and the crime is motivated by an infinite number of individual causes, including emotional reasons. For example, low individual self-esteem may be overcome by criminal activities designed to earn respect from others by harming them.
• Postmodern writers stress about the highly emotional nature of crime - instead of what the criminals will gain, these researchers are interested in how committing the crime makes people feel.
• The focus of these criminologists is on the thrill of the act - it can offer a brief escape from an otherwise grey emotional existence. They argue there is an intoxicating mix of fear and pleasure that often accompanies risk taking
• According to postmodernists, crime is not a rational mundane activity, where costs and benefits are weighed up. Rather it is a reaction against the mundane. It is a time when those involved momentarily experience status, excitement and even some control over their own lives, which are otherwise characterised by feelings of worthlessness and insecurity.
• Katz (1988)


  Argues that people get drawn into crime because it is seductive and thrilling. Postmodernists interpret this simply as a part of a postmodern society which calls on us to enjoy our leisure time - crime is one means whereby some people do just that.
• Lyng (1990)


  Developed the concept of 'edgework' - crime was a way that people could get a thrill by engaging in risk-taking behaviour - going right to the edge of acceptable behaviour and challenging the rules of what is acceptable. This is very much a product of a postmodern society which encourages and rewards risk-taking behaviour.
• The risks involved in law breaking act as a challenge, and crime is carried out precisely because the rules are in place.
• Postmodernists argue that most young offenders do not set out on their escapades assessing the chances that they will be arrested, and this is why there is a steady increase in control in culture over our lives does nothing to deter, but actually creates more law breaking as they are faced with more thrilling challenges.
• In the postmodern view, the fragmentation of society is reflected in a similar fragmentation of organised crime prevention. There is a growing emphasis placed on private crime prevention, rather than reliance on the police.
• Policing policies are becoming very localised and community-based, reflecting the fragmentation of society into a diverse range of smaller grouping of localised identities, such as those around ethnicity and gender.
• Foucault (1991)


  Pointed out that surveillance is penetrating more and more into private aspects of our lives, aided by new surveillance technology, which monitors the movements of people in every shape of life. This is accompanied by growing control of entry to streets and housing complexes in 'gated communities'. The idea being that if you are watched constantly you are less likely to commit a crime.
• In a postmodern society, people are regarded as consumers and customers rather than as citizens with rights. Individuals are seduced and co-opted into avoidance of social harm by participation in the consumer society. Those who aren't so seduced, or can't afford to participate, face stricter control.
• Criticisms

  1. Exaggerates extent and novelty of social change
  2. Culture of resentment - not necessarily new
  3. Hard to measure or test this theory
  4. Fragmentation of class, race, gender hotly disputed
  5. The idea that you can do whatever you want is far too exaggerated