Folk Devils and Moral Panics

Page
3

And this had political repercussions; Tory Home Secretary Michael Howard illegally attempted to intervene to increase the tariff passed on Jamie Bulger’s killers, and not for the last time, Tony Blair successfully identified with this public mood, promising a new Britain where such criminals would not prevail. A few years later New Labour won the 1997 General Election, due

at least in part to Blair’s ability

to ally himself with this moral panic.

Slide 13

Contemporary Research

The charity NACRO ( National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders) suggests in a recent report (2008) that the police criminalise young to hit arrest targets set by the government.

Police figures suggest reported minor offences by young people soared by 38.9% from 2003-96, while serious offences rose by 19%.

But NACRO says this rise has more top do with police criminalising minor teenage misdemeanours – previously they would have been dealt with by an informal ticking off.

The charity says that police, under pressure to improve clear-up rates, are dealing with more teenagers through the criminal justice system.

NACRO argues that, using data from the police and other sources suggest youth crime has been stable since 2003.