This book challenges many of the claims made by law enforcement and the media regarding the nature and extent of the gang problem in the United States. Employing a social constructionist approach to the study of social problems, the authors detail how law enforcement has figured prominently in the creation and promotion of stereotypes—marketing the gang threat via the news media to protect and increase organizational resources and power. A rich historical context traces street gangs form their emergence in urban centers in the 19th century, to the western outlaw gangs of the post-Civil War period, to contemporary gangs. Other chapters cover conditions, social problems, and moral panics; the police, crime control, and gangs; crime, gangs, and the news media; the gang panic in Nevada; gangs in the legislature; prosecuting gangs; and panic at the national level. For citizens interested in social problems and public policy.

Panic: The Social Construction of the Street Gang Problem

Politics & Social Sciences

Miethe, Terance D.

McCorkle, Richard C.

Social Sciences

Pearson College Div

The third edition of this thought-provoking text addresses the following questions about crime: * Who are the offenders and victims? * What are the major motivators of crime? * Are most offenders specialists or generalists? * Are most offenders planners or opportunists? * What are their criminal histories? * How often are co-offenders involved? * What are the common features of dangerous places, times, and situational dynamics? * How effective are current crime prevention strategies? Crime Profiles provides a descriptive summary of seven major forms of crime: homicide and aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery, burglary, motor vehicle theft, occupational and organizational crime, and public order crimes. The new edition provides an extensive update of the material in each chapter. Each chapter now includes national crime reports and national victimization surveys for 2003, the most recently available data. A new chapter has been added on theories of crime. New examples are also used to illustrate both change and stability in the type of situations in which particular crimes occur. Each chapter focuses on crime definitions, trends in their occurrence, the offender and victim profiles, situational elements and circumstances, particular subsets of crime syndromes, prevention, and intervention strategies.

Crime Profiles: The Anatomy of Dangerous Persons, Places, and Situations

Listwan, Shelley J.

Oxford University Press

Book by Miethe, Terence D., McCorkle, Richard C.

Miethe, Terence D.

Roxbury Pub. Co

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Books by McCorkle, Richard C.