P095. Representations of juvenile delinquency in the Greek online press (2023). Depiction of expert perspectives, their contribution in shaping public opinion and legitimizing state counter measures.

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Abstract

The phenomenon of juvenile delinquency is an issue that has been of long-standing concern to the criminological and journalistic community. In recent years in Greece, and especially after the pandemic of COVID-19, the mass media have been presenting juvenile delinquency as increasing, out of control and in need of immediate intervention. Starting from this finding, this research focuses on the way in which violent juvenile delinquency is portrayed in the Greek online press and aims at a theoretical approach to the phenomenon in the perspective of Stanley Cohen theory of moral panics. Through the thematic analysis of 415 journalistic articles, it attempts to highlight the ways in which this phenomenon is presented, reproduced and ultimately manufactured by the mass media, leading to a vicious cycle of moral panic, which increases policing and repressive measures, leading to stigmatization and further involvement of juveniles with the criminal-suppressive system. Furthermore, the contribution of the field experts in the portayal of the phenomenon and the influence of public opinion will be examined. The study focuses, among other things, on the way in which the phenomenon of juvenile delinquency is presented, the profile of delinquents, the role of the police and the process of introducing countermeasures.

Authors

• Veroniki Lykourinou, Master's Student, Criminological and Penal Law Perspectives on Corruption, Economic and Organised Crime, Hellenic Open University, Patra,Greece Bachelor’s Degree in Social Policy Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece

• Konstantinos Diamantis, Bachelor's Degree in Social Policy, Democritus University of Thrace

• Zoi Tsarsitalidou, Master's Student, Criminological and Penal Law Perspectives on Corruption, Economic and Organised Crime, Hellenic Open University, Patra, Greece Bachelor's Degree in Social Policy Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece