Explanation
Cultural criminology explores how crime, deviance, and social control are created, interpreted, and represented within cultural contexts. It emphasizes the role of media, subcultures, emotions, and aesthetics in shaping criminal behavior and societal responses. Rather than seeing crime purely as rule-breaking, cultural criminologists study its symbolic and expressive dimensions—how acts of crime can resist, critique, or reproduce power relations. This approach also critiques punitive policies that use cultural narratives to justify harsher controls.
Theoretical Reference
Jeff Ferrell, Keith Hayward, Jock Young – Cultural Criminology: An Invitation