Moral Panics and Deviancy Amplification - created from Mind Map

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Moral Panics

Fear of a certain crime as a threat

An exaggerated over reaction by society to a precieved problem

1. The media identify one group as a folk devil

2.Moral entrepreneurs condemn the group

Usually driven or inspired by the media

Goode and Ben Yehuda

Characteristics of moral panic

a) Concern

b) Hostility

c) Consensus

d) Disproportionality

e) Volatility

Stanley Cohen

The amplification spiral is a process

The media creates fantasy crime waves

The public put pressure on the police to react

The police take action and therefore official statistics increase

J.Young

IceBerg effect

Labelling theory

Marijuanna study

5 Stages of Moral Panic

1. An initial act provokes the media to turn their attention to it

2. The media exaggerates the threat posed by this particular form of crime

3. By makind the public, police and authorities aware the media increase the amount of this crime being reported

4. The extent of this deviance is vastly overestimated

5. New heavier controlmeasures are introduced by the police and government

Moral Panics and Deviancy Amplification