International Journal of Criminology and Sociological Theory (IJCST - York University)
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Happy like Profilers: Gordon Burn, Modernity and Serial Killing
Full text linkHappy like Profilers: Gordon Burn, modernity and serial killing Haggerty (2009) has outlined the ways, in which, “serial killers” can be seen as a product of modernity. In particular, he highlights the ways, in which, a symbiotic relationship has developed between the media and “serial killers”. A significant feature in this new firmament is the psychological profiler. From Cracker onwards, the psychological profiler has become a key feature of the TV crime drama. As Dowleer et al ( 2006) note the line between reporting crime and crime as entertainment is a very blurred one. The viewer is just as likely to come across a “psychological profile” on a “news” programme such as Crimewatch as in a TV drama.Trevor Hardy was convicted of the brutal murder of three young women Janet Stewart (15), Wanda Skalia (18) and Sharon Mosoph (17) in 1977. He has been given a whole life tariff so will never be released. Despite this, Wilson et al (2010) highlight the fact that the case is not that well-known and consider the reasons for this. This paper argues that this approach is an extension of the medical- psychological discourse, which concentrates on generating a comforting taxonomy of serial killers. It goes on to argue that this approach marginalises the suffering of the victims and the cataclysmic impact that these events have on the lives of their loved ones. The novelist, Gordon Burn, has explored the nature of modern celebrity. He has also examined in extensive details the environments that produced Peter Sutcliffe (Somebody’s Husband, Somebody’s Son) and the Wests (Happy like Murderers). As an alternative to the profiler approach, which focuses on the perpetrator and marignalises victims and their families, the work of Burn – in particular his novel Alma Cogan is examined in depth. This disturbing novel challenges the ways, in which, celebrity is constructed. By so doing, it forces the reader to confront not only the full brutality of sexual violence but also their own complicity in the “serial killing industry”
A Critical Evaluation of Violence against Women in India
Full text linkThe increasing intolerance towards women is supported by the latest annual data compiled by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) New Delhi. Analyzing the major crime trend over the years, the NCRB comes up with an alarming feature, which is that crime against women has seen 873 per cent rise since the last 40 years. The Bureau arrived at this statistic after comparing the data on number of cases registered in 1971 (2,487) with those in 2011 (24,206). This is more than three times of the total crimes that were taken cognizance of by the authorities. The present paper tries to critically evaluate the seriousness of shameful crime against women in India in the present Law and Order scenario of the country with suggestions
Use of Electronic Media among Rural Students: A Case Study
Full text linkThe revolution of communication in India over the last decade is astonishing. New communication technologies, i.e. the ‘Electronic Media’ (EM), such as satellites, radio (FM), television, cell phone (mobile), computers, laptops and palmtops with internet are bringing noticeable changes leading to a huge impact on socio- cultural understandings and achieving success in its popularity among the youth of urban as well as rural area. Data for the study is collected from Kanavi Karuvina (KK) Koppa village of Belgaum district, Karnataka state. 165 respondents were selected by random sampling belonging to the age of 17 to 23 years, studying in Pre-University Course, Bachelor’s and Master’s Course. The paper relies information and statistics from primary and secondary sources. The paper reveals in the rise of cell phone activities. Particularly, the generation ‘Y’ is mobile savvy. This empirical research clearly stated that at present day situation the respondents- the youths are active and vibrant participators in using EM for their development
Nature of Crime and Crime Reporting of Victims in Lagos, Nigeria
Full text linkThough the various effects of crime constitute its nature, these have suffered great research neglect in Nigeria. This study examined the influence of the nature of crime on reporting among victims in Lagos, Nigeria. It used quantitative and qualitative methods. Covering the three senatorial districts in Lagos, it obtained data from 948 respondents selected through a multistage sampling procedure. Quantitative data were analyzed at three levels and qualitative data were content analyzed. Findings showed more crime (52.2%) was unreported than reported (47.8%). The nature of crime is not significantly related to reporting (ᵡ2 p value > 0.05). The nature of crime drives reporting and urges government to include reporting education in school curriculum for a more inclusive reporting regime
Child Labour and Child Rights in India
Full text linkAbstract- The children of any country are its valuable assets. No nation on the globe can ignore the responsibility to ensure the proper growth and development of the Children as the future of the country lies with them. According to the International Labour Organisation, One in eight children in the world are exposed to the worst forms of child labour which endanger children’s physical, mental health and moral well being. The situation in India is worsening. Despite hectic planning, welfare programmes, legislation, and administrative action in the past six decades, a large majority of the Indian Children continue to remain in distress & turmoil. In most families neglect them, caretakers batter them and in work-places employers sexually abuse them. Child labour continues to flourish in both rural and urban India. Though this problem of emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children is increasing in India, it has failed to capture the attention of sociologists, social workers and psychiatrists. The public and the government also are yet to recognize it as a serious problem. This paper tries to examine the nature, extent, magnitude and impact of Child labour. The paper also makes an attempt to locate the significance of Child rights & concludes with some measures from a strategic perspective to pause the increase of child labour in India
Taser: from object to actant? How Actor-Network Theory can advance the literature on Taser
Full text linkFrom police weaponry to CCTV cameras, databases to DNA analysis, technology is central to law enforcement. It is also a subject of intense controversy - not least because of the human rights benefits and risks associated with it. Yet, all too often, particular technologies remain under-theorised in the criminology literature, with serious consequences for our understanding of modern day policing. This article uses the example of the widely used electric-shock weapon the “Taser” to demonstrate some gaps in the criminology literature—which include paying insufficient attention to the technical characteristics of particular technologies and their distinct contributions, and reinforcing simplistic binary understandings of human/nonhuman and technology/society—and argues that Actor-Network Theory (ANT) can prove a useful resource in helping to correct these omissions. It provides an example of what an ANT inspired analysis of a particular technology, Taser, might look like, thus demonstrating that ANT can help construct attentive, nuanced accounts of the role of technology in policing, whilst avoiding the twin traps of social and technological determinism
Barriers to Rape Reporting for Nigerian Women: The Case of female University Students
Full text linkThis article presents the key findings of a research project investigating perceived relevance among barriers to reporting rape and sexual assault for female university students. Existing literature suggests that the refusal of victims of rape and other forms of sexual victimisation in Nigeria to report have social underpinnings. Using qualitative information gathered from in-depth interviews of 23 rape victims, the study found that rather than social stigma, the fear of retaliation by their assailants dominated the concerns of the university rape victims. Other important barriers to rape reporting include lack of confidence in the criminal justice system, social stereotypes and prejudice against victims. Apart from the need for the government and private sector to intervene in the inadequacies of on-campus accommodation of public universities, campus-based rape and sexual assault prevention strategies could also be developed from collaboration among professional counsellors, students, faculty, health centre workers, and campus police
Victim Offender Relationship in Crimes against Elderly
Full text linkThe cases of crimes against elderly have been increasing very fast in India and need attention to prevent this problem. Whatever cases are reported in print media, it does not depict the real scenario of entire problem. Since, this is a serious problem affecting the whole society and need social and Police actions to live the elderly fear free. This research work has used the method of content analysis to gain insight into the media reports of the elderly victim of crime. This paper attempts to know the victim offender relationship and different types of crimes against the elderly. Result shows that male victims are more in number than female victims. Nearly 1/4th of the elderly have been found the victims of crime by their own family members. The incidents of murder (53.26%) are higher than other crimes and prevalent in both urban and rural areas. The trend of nuclear families is one of the major reasons of increasing crime against elderly in India
A Desire to Disfigure: Acid Attack in India
Full text linkGirls are dying or disfigured everyday due to acid attacks. Girls have lost their lives while many are struggling with wounds who have survived from these vicious attacks by thwarted lovers by those seeking revenge against another family by jealous colleagues. This paper is an attempt to understand the reasons for the attacks and ways used for their disfigurement. News paper reports from January 2009 to December 2013 have been the source of the study. Thus the method of content analysis was adopted for this purpose. The findings reveal that total 58 cases have been reported during this period. Of these 65.49% cases were found under the age of 27 years. This problem has also been reported from rural area (15.51% cases). The result also shows that most of the girls were suffering from psychological trauma and expenses of reconstructive surgery. To put a stop to the growing number of acid attacks the Supreme Court clamped down on the sale of the toxic liquid and also ordered higher compensation to acid attack victims. Illegal sale and purchase of acid to be consider as non- bailable offence
Public Perception of the Police and Crime Prevention in Nigeria
Full text linkThe end of military rule in 1999 notwithstanding, the image of the Nigerian Police as a corrupt and inefficient organization with penchant for human rights abuse has not yet been redressed. During General Sani Abacha’s infamous regime, the resort to repression coupled with a rise in armed robbery wave led to a reckless abuse of human rights, including torture and extrajudicial executions by the police while road checkpoints became hotbeds of extortion, the police completely lost their bearings in combating crime particularly heinous politically motivated murders that became the hallmark of the Abacha regime. Throughout Nigeria history, the police had been a tool of the state, mistrusted and feared by the people instead of being friend to the general public. The tragedy is that the brutal mindset lingers on still. Independent Advocacy and Anti Corruption Group project in a recent research aimed highlighting the magnitude of corruption and its effects on democracy clearly placed the police as the most corrupt institution in Nigeria. In spite of the remarkable increase in the strength of the police from 122,000 in 1999 to 320, 000 in 2006, and 371, 800 as at present, the police welfare package, including housing allowances and provision of uniform had remained static over the years. This paper is of the view that there is urgent need to build a new police force that is compliant with democratic cultures and values. The welfare of the Nigeria Police should be accorded the highest priority. The IGP has to check official corruption and miscarriage of justice within the system