Moral Panics Continue to Impact Negatively on Young People
'Moral panics continue to impact negatively on young people '
1Jock Young was the first published reference to moral panic but it was renowned Sociologist Stanley Cohen who was first to introduce the term in his 1972 speech, following extreme public reactions to youth violence and crime amongst the Mods and Rockers in the 1960s. 2According to Cohen, 'a moral panic occurs when a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests. ' 3Moral panic dates back as far as World War One when the government used the media to portray the Germans in a negative manner in order to provoke a response, and inevitably win the war. Stanley Cohen 's research was mainly qualitative; he found that minor fights between Mods and Rockers in beach side resorts were very much exaggerated by the media. 4One headline in 1964 by the daily mail read “97 arrests as Wild ones invade seaside town,” in actual fact there were actually only 24 arrests. This media exaggerating led to increased policing which instead of helping intensified the problem. Whilst his work had a considerable influence and positive effect, in more recent years criticisms have been made and have shown us some of the theoretical weaknesses.
5Goode and Ben Yehuda have voiced theories that moral panic consists of five key attributes. The first one they recognised is concern, concern that the behaviour of the group is most likely to have a negative impact on society, Concern is revealed through modes of opinion such as media attention, polls and legislation. The second characteristic is hostility, as hostility towards “youths” increases; they will eventually become “folk devils” therefore creating a negative division. The third is a form of consensus; it is necessary that society as a whole see the threat posed by the rule breakers as significant and serious, they continue on to the fourth characteristic which is formed up of disproportionality which
1Jock Young was the first published reference to moral panic but it was renowned Sociologist Stanley Cohen who was first to introduce the term in his 1972 speech, following extreme public reactions to youth violence and crime amongst the Mods and Rockers in the 1960s. 2According to Cohen, 'a moral panic occurs when a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests. ' 3Moral panic dates back as far as World War One when the government used the media to portray the Germans in a negative manner in order to provoke a response, and inevitably win the war. Stanley Cohen 's research was mainly qualitative; he found that minor fights between Mods and Rockers in beach side resorts were very much exaggerated by the media. 4One headline in 1964 by the daily mail read “97 arrests as Wild ones invade seaside town,” in actual fact there were actually only 24 arrests. This media exaggerating led to increased policing which instead of helping intensified the problem. Whilst his work had a considerable influence and positive effect, in more recent years criticisms have been made and have shown us some of the theoretical weaknesses.
5Goode and Ben Yehuda have voiced theories that moral panic consists of five key attributes. The first one they recognised is concern, concern that the behaviour of the group is most likely to have a negative impact on society, Concern is revealed through modes of opinion such as media attention, polls and legislation. The second characteristic is hostility, as hostility towards “youths” increases; they will eventually become “folk devils” therefore creating a negative division. The third is a form of consensus; it is necessary that society as a whole see the threat posed by the rule breakers as significant and serious, they continue on to the fourth characteristic which is formed up of disproportionality which
Bibliography: Banks, C (2013). Youth, Crime and Justice. USA : Routledge. 36-43. Critcher, C. (2009) ‘Widening the Focus: Moral Panics as Moral regulation’, British Journal of Criminology, vol 49, pp17-34 laughey, D (2008)