Analysis and Reaction to Crime Myths in The Mythology of Crime and Criminal Justice by Kappeler & Potter
Introduction
This paper presents a reaction to the first six chapters of the book The Mythology of Crime and Criminal Justice (Waveland Press, Inc., 2018), authored by Victor Kappeler and Gary Potter.
Summary
The Social Construction of Crime Myths
Chapter one of the book addresses the social construction of crime myths in terms of their characteristics, functions, and those who make them. Myth, in this case, refers to a community’s definitions when addressing particular crime problems and possible interventions. Crime myths play a significant role in shaping people’s thoughts and reactions when faced with criminal justice issues. The media, government agencies, and the power elites contribute to generating crime myths.
Crime Waves, Fears, and Social Reality
Chapter two identifies whether crime waves influence fears and people’s social reality about criminal activities. A significant number of people fear illegal activities to a great extent due to their perceptions of becoming victims. Political players take advantage of citizens’ fear of crime to influence voting changes, promising to bring changes (Kappeler & Potter, 2018). Exaggerating serious crimes leads to a false impression that criminal activities are common and dangerous.
The Myth and Fear of Missing Children
Chapter three of the book highlighted the myths and fears regarding missing children. An experience of highly publicized cases related to missing children has led to a fear of kidnappings. The suffering of parents whose children have gone missing has led to the establishment of advocacy groups (Kappeler & Potter, 2018).
The media has also promoted fears about child abduction by giving false impressions about the problem when sharing related stories. However, there is a need to introduce safety measures to help prevent child abduction. This can be achieved by promoting child education and avoiding scenarios contributing to their disappearance.
Spreading Myth to Common Crime
Chapter four addresses the issue of stalkers spreading myths about common crimes. Stalking has continually attracted media attention, contributing to increased awareness and the introduction of anti-stalking laws. Behavior that is considered to be stalking includes sexual harassment, obsession, and even psychological rape. The stalking problem has been characterized by questionable statistics for several years as a result of not having a proper definition for the term. The introduction of anti-stalking laws has been linked with a growth of punitiveness within the criminal justice system.
The Myth of an Underworld Empire
Chapter five considers organized crime to be a myth of an underworld empire. Organized crime groups operate similarly to corporate sector enterprises in terms of structure and bureaucratic organization. In most cases, membership in such a group is often influenced by a person’s ethnicity (“Transnational Organized Crime,” n.d). However, the authors argue that the role assigned to ethnicity in determining the structure of organized crime groups is based on misinterpretation and overstatement from the alien conspiracy theory. Another myth of transnational organized crime exists, even though little has changed in their organization.
Corporate Crime and Higher Immorality
Chapter six discusses the issue of corporate crime and higher immorality. In this case, corporate crime violates trade, advertising, food, and drug laws, and other issues not addressed by uniformed law enforcement officers (Conick, 2020). However, there are no clear definitions of the type of crime that can be referred to as white-collar crime or not.
Awareness about such crimes was achieved during the economic collapse experienced in 2008. The authors suggest that engagement in corporate crime creates a higher immorality, which affects a country’s safety, health, and social aspects. White-collar crime contributes to countries and organizations experiencing financial loss and an increased risk of unemployment.
Reaction
The information shared in chapter one enhanced my understanding of crime myths. I now know the impact of the myths within the community and those who play a role in their development. The chapter is well organized, with the authors ensuring that each subtopic is well-highlighted. Information presented in chapter two relates to problems in our present world, since many people exist with fears of their lives being interrupted by criminals. As I read the chapter, I felt agitated because politicians use people’s fear of crime to take up elective positions. Leaders should focus on fulfilling their people’s interests rather than seeking to benefit themselves.
The content included in chapter three relates to the issue of children being kidnapped in the modern-day world. There have been cases of children being abducted and perpetrators asking for ransom while threatening to cause harm. Other people should read the chapter to eliminate unwarranted fears about missing children.
Other readers should consider reading chapter four since it deconstructs myths about stalking while also enhancing knowledge of anti-stalking statutes. The work relates to the modern-day world since it addresses an issue that has developed to become common in the criminal justice system. Other people need to read chapter five since it will help eliminate their misconceptions regarding organized crime. Reading chapter six was informative since it exposed me to the different types of corporate crimes and the effect they have on society.
Conclusion
The assigned book addresses some common myths that different people have regarding crime. The myths shape people’s perceptions and reactions to instances of criminal activity. Many people live in fear that their quality of life is likely to be affected by criminals. The media, the government, and elite people in the community play a significant role in developing crime myths. Reading the book is necessary to overcome misconceptions about criminal justice issues.
References
Conick, H. (2020). Corporate crime and non-punishment. Knowable Magazine. Web.
Kappeler, V. E., & Potter, G. W. (2017). The mythology of crime and criminal justice. (5th ed.) Waveland Press.
Transnational organized crime: A growing threat to national and international security. (n.d). Web.