What is crime?
Overview
The What is crime? project aims to stimulate debate about what crime is, what it isn't and who gets to decide. Funded by The Wates Foundation from 2008-2009, this project will feature;
- Research and policy briefing papers.
- A national photography competition.
- Parliamentary mini-inquiries.
- Lectures and events.
The project is focused on the following themes;
Violence: Public and private; Whether it is the distressing cases of young people killed in the streets; the seemingly random fights and confrontations often connected to drink, drugs or so-called `youth culture'; or specific forms of criminality such as street robbery and intimidation, violence in the public realm is the regular subject of media and political debate. Meanwhile, much serious and traumatic acts of violence - such as child abuse, violence against women, injuries at work - are committed far from the public gaze, often neglected and ignored by politicians, journalists and the criminal justice.
Finance; Corporate activities and the financial markets have the potential to affect many thousands of people at the same time. For example the collapse of the Maxwell pension scheme and the Christmas hamper scheme, Farepak, pointed to the distressing and devastating impact on savers, pensioners and employees. Many minor financial indiscretions and fiddles by the `middle classes' can also have a significant impact too. The material, emotional and physical impact of poverty and financial insecurity often remains hidden or thought to be the fault of those affected. The project will explore the various ways in which financial markets and corporations sometimes involve harmful activities, or consider issues relating to inequality and poverty.
Environment; The potentially disastrous consequences of continued global warming and environmental change raises new questions about harms associated with ecological damage. While current policy debates tend to focus on the localised environmental impacts of vandalism and fly-tipping, the far reaching consequences of industrial pollution on the vulnerable is often ignored. The negative effects on health and well-being seems to often be born by people already experiencing a range of other disadvantages. Other areas the project may focus on could include anything from the effects of GM crops, increased risks of flooding, the impact of vehicle exhaust fumes and industrial pollution.
Publications and activities
- A crisis of enforcement: the decriminalisation of death and injury at work, June 2008 by Professor Steve Tombs and Dr David Whyte (launched at a parliamentary event hosted by Katy Clark, MP on 17 June 2008.)
Photography competition
Launching in September 2008, this national photography competition will invite images which challenge and confront thinking on what is harmful, unjust or criminal under one of the three competition categories (violence; environment; finance). Find out more here.
Resource page
If you are interested in the question of What is crime?, you might find the project's resources page of interest. Click here to view.
For more information...
For more information about any aspect of the What is crime? project, please contact Rebecca Roberts.