Philip Jenkins

Moral Panic: Changing Concepts of the Child Molester in Modern America.

It is commonly acknowledged that sexual abuse of children is a grave and pervasive problem and that child molesters are predators who compulsively repeat their crimes and have little hope of cure. Yet as recently as twenty years ago many experts viewed the problem as a far less serious one, declaring that molestation was very rare and that molesters were merely confused individuals unlikely to repeat their offenses. Over the past century, opinion has fluctuated between these radically different perspectives. This timely book traces shifting social responses to adult sexual contacts with children, whether this involves molestation by strangers or incestuous acts by family members. The book explores how and why concern about the sexual offender has fluctuated in North America since the late nineteenth century.

“The ice age” the social construction of a drug panic

In 1989 and 1990 there was much media and political concern about use of the drug “ice,” or smokable crystal methamphetamine, which was believed to pose a social threat potentially as great as that of crack cocaine. This concern was not sustained, however, and references to the topic diminished sharply within a few months. The incident thus offers a valuable opportunity to trace the history of a drug panic from its origins to its eclipse. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of domestic political divisions, especially in Hawaii, in citing the panic. It is suggested that this incident illustrates both the manner in which local problems come to be projected on the national political arena and the limitations inherent in such a process. The paper explores the rhetorical devices used to create a sense of impending menace around the supposed danger, and the reasons why such an apparently plausible danger failed to gain more public attention or credence.

Serial murder in England 1940–1985

Recent American work on serial murder has begun to move away from exclusive reliance on case-studies to broader and more quantitative accounts of the total phenomenon as it involves both offenders and victims. This article discusses the phenomenon of serial murder over a long period by focusing on England, where homicide of this sort is sufficiently rare to have been studied in detail. A comprehensive list of offenders also was easily constructed. Offender characteristics are discussed, to show a sharp division between serial killers whose violence was apparent in early childhood and others who seemed relatively normal until well into adulthood. The article also considers the relative success of English police and courts in handling the special problems posed by serial homicide.

Images of terror : what we can and can't know about terrorism

Knowing about terrorism another mans freedom fighter? the American politics of terrorism motives false flags investigation and intelligence explaining failure terrorism and the mass media Iraq and state terrorism a critical consumers guide to understanding terrorism.

Serial murder in the United States 1900-1940: A historical perspective

Serial murder was a well-known phenomenon in the early twentieth century. Between about 1900 and 1940 there were dozens of recorded incidents in the United States, and extreme cases occurred almost as frequently as they have done in the last two decades. This article describes and attempts to classify incidents of serial homicide in this area. It also discusses the changing theoretical and medical explanations used to account for this type of crime and the impact of new theories on the practice of the courts and law-enforcement agencies. Finally, the frequency of serial homicide is tentatively linked to the broader social and economic history of the period.

Satanism: Myth and reality in a contemporary moral panic

In the last decade, there have been many allegations about the prevalence of occult or “Satanic” criminality, which is believed to be involved in many offenses ranging from vandalism to child abuse and serial murder. Some have advocated the creation of specialized police units to combat the supposed threat. On the other hand, most of the alleged evils are very poorly substantiated, and highly questionable statements have been widely circulated. In fact, the current concern about the occult appears to have all the hallmarks of a classic moral panic, where a peripheral issue is suddenly perceived as a major social menace. This paper discusses the limited foundation of truth underlying the present “crime-wave”; and suggests that the panic reflects the moral and political agenda of extremists from the fundamentalist religious Right. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** AW502017 00005

Sharing Murder: Understanding Group Serial Homicide

Abstract This paper studies cases of serial homicide where multiple offenders are involved. It is suggested that such cases represent a surprisingly large proportion of serial murder incidents, a fact of considerable significance for investigators. The paper considers the kinds of relationship that exist between offenders in a particular case; the varying degrees of complicity involved; and the interpersonal dynamics of the initial decision to share in an act of murder. Finally, and speculatively, it will be asked whether and how subcultural theories can be applied to group participation in multiple homicide.

The politics and mythology of organized crime: A Philadelphia case-study

Abstract Although much criticized, the “Cosa Nostra” theory of organized crime continues to exert considerable influence over lawmakers and law enforcement officials. This theory has been extensively studied on a national level, but few local case studies trace the transition from the multiethnic organized crime of the 1930s and 1940s to the (supposed) Italian hegemony of the years since 1960. Philadelphia provides an excellent opportunity for such a study, as the base of a strong Jewish-dominated structure before 1960 and a “Mafia town” thereafter. A major concern of this article is the manner in which the history of crime in the city was retroactively rewritten during the 1970s, in order to provide a basis for contemporary theories and bureaucratic needs.

African-Americans and Serial Homicide

African-Americans are usually over-represented among offenders arrested in “normal” homicide cases, making up a considerably larger proportion than would be expected from the Black presence in the population at large. Among serial murderers, however, African-Americans are much less in evidence—perhaps one-fifth or less of known American serial killers are Black. It may be that African-Americans are in fact less involved in serial murder activity than are Anglo Whites or Hispanics; but it must also be asked whether this is simply an impression gained from the ways in which serial murder activity is identified and investigated. For a number of reasons, law enforcement agencies might be less likely to seek or find evidence of serial murder activity where the victims are Black. As homicide is primarily an intra-racial crime, this would then mean that Black serial killers would be far more likely to escape detection.

The Speed Capital of the World: Organizing the Methamphetamine Industry in Philadelphia 1970–1990

Synthetic narcotics have received relatively little attention in the growing scholarly literature on drugs, though synthetics like PCP, amphetamines and “designer” drugs play a major role in the illicit economy. This case-study focuses on the organization of the illicit manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine in the Philadelphia area, which for several years was believed to play a critical role in national production of this drug. There are several important implications for policy. Given the enormous attention paid to the “drug war” in recent years, it becomes imperative to ensure that resources are correctly and effectively targeted. In this context, there has been much debate about the exact role of the Mafia, or “traditional” organized crime. This paper suggests that the Mafia has indeed been extremely important in the narcotics trade, especially through union locals within its control. However, we must also emphasize the role of a wide range of other ethnic groups, often working independently of La Cosa Nostra. Finally, it is suggested that conventional organizational, financial and structural models can be applied to this particular area of illicit business.