The Little Fish in the Nets of Criminology

• In Event: Scenes of Crime: Narratives of Crime in Movies, Novels, and Theater in Greece During the Crisis

Abstract

"The Little Fish in the Nets of Criminology" explores crime through cultural criminology and cinema, focusing on Yannis Economides' Greek film The Little Fish (To mikropsari, 2014). The study examines how crime is represented in cinema and its influence on public perception, especially during Greece’s financial crisis.
The film follows Stratos, who, at 18, committed multiple homicides after an insult and was sentenced to life in prison. Upon release, he becomes a hitman to repay his debt to underworld figure Leonidas. Stratos uses his earnings to fund Leonidas' escape while maintaining a facade as a bakery worker. His neighbors, Makis and Vicky, are heavily indebted to crime boss Petropoulos. Vicky prostitutes herself to settle the debt, but when Petropoulos demands her 12-year-old daughter Katerina, Stratos intervenes. Violating the criminal code, he kills Petropoulos and the family to protect the girl, accepting his inevitable death.
The study highlights subcultural codes, illustrating how Stratos embodies the underworld’s value system. His actions align with subcultures of violence theory, where crime is both a means of survival and a code of honor. The film critiques the lack of rehabilitation for ex-convicts, portraying how social exclusion perpetuates recidivism.
Economides presents a decaying society where the justice system is absent, echoing public distrust. Stratos is portrayed as both a tragic hero and a victim of his environment, challenging binary moral perceptions. His acceptance of death underscores the inescapable fate within criminal subcultures.
Blending crime fiction with criminological analysis, The Little Fish becomes a landmark in understanding crime, morality, and society in crisis-stricken Greece. The film offers a compelling commentary on the cyclical nature of violence and the social conditions that sustain it.

Author

• Dionysios Chionis, Lawyer at the Supreme Court, LLM (Criminology) | Center for the Study of Crime