Perp Walks and Publicity Surrounding Allegations of White-Collar Criminality

• In Event: Roundtable: Class Inequality in Criminal Justice Policies and Practices

Abstract

Long have police and prosecutors collaborated with media outlets to ensure that arrests of high-profile suspects are publicized on in the print, television, and now Internet news in a practice known as the “perp walk.” Opponents of perp walks argue that the practice not only harms a presumptively innocent person but also risks tainting jury pools thereby interfering with the fair trial process. Perp walk supports instead contend that perp walks are necessary both to send a message to would-be criminals that such behavior is not tolerated and to assure the community that the government has the situation under control. This study takes a longitudinal look at the practice of perp walks, comparing perp walks of white-collar, typically high status suspected criminals and the more frequent perp walks of suspected street criminals. Twenty-seven national newspapers in ProQuest’s National Newspapers Premier Database from 1991 to 2015 are examined to determine patterns and explore the role of privilege, prestige, and power in printed accounts of perp walks. Research questions address the type of suspected criminal (or “perp walkee”) and how he or she—is depicted, with an emphasis on extra-legal factors such as the perp walkee’s appearance, character, and demeanor.

Author

• Shanna Van Slyke, Utica College