Crime, Injustice, and Politics

• In Event: Crime Policy and the Media

Abstract

Issues of crime, justice, and incarceration play a crucial role in electoral politics. Recent Gallup polls reveal that nearly half of Americans view crime as an extremely serious or very serious problem. These issues have been exacerbated recently by the deaths of several young Black men, which brought national attention to the strained relationship between many local law enforcement agencies and the communities that they are sworn to serve and to protect. Ironically, this concern coincides with a U.S. crime rate that has dropped steadily for more than a decade. This paper explores the role of crime, politics, and media imagery in the making of criminal justice policy. We argue that crime is one of the most enduring political issues of this century and that, in turn, politicians have played a fundamental role in constructing crime policies. The implications for public governance and policymaking are many, as criminal justice policies rely on the public perception of officials as legitimate and just. Scandal and corruption reduce the legitimacy of public officials, and lead to public questions about the discretionary decision-making of criminal justice actors as well as the disproportionate consequences in the criminal justice system for poor and minority communities.

Authors

• Cara E Rabe-Hemp, Illinois State University

• Phlip Mulvey, Illinois State University

• Morgan Foster, Illinois State University