Media Images of Youthful Offenders

1
Media Images of (Youthful) Offenders

• Mechthild Nagel
• SUNY Cortland

2
Lessons of electoral campaigns for penal
abolitionists

• Comparison of moral panic discourse (2008)
• Germany (monster kids)
• vs
• USA (homeland security)
• Racism and Xenophobia as (silent) signifiers

3
Election Results

• Germany in Hessen, ruling party lost
• USA in Texas, Clinton won among white voters by
  a large margin
• How does moral panic work?
• membership categorization device The baby
  cried. The mommy picked it up.

4
Hillary Clinton Famous New Ad They're Gonna Get
Your Kids

• Red Phone controversial ad
• The message our loved ones are in grave danger
  and only Mrs. Clinton can save them. An Obama
  presidency would be dangerous -- and not just
  because of his lack of experience. In my reading,
  the ad, in the insidious language of symbolism,
  says that Mr. Obama is himself the danger, the
  outsider within. (Orlando Patterson)

5
Racism in Clintons ad

• Depiction of white babies to be rescued by a
  tough mother (Hillary Clinton)
• The absent predator
• in the USA, the abundance of the myth of the
  Black male rapist (cf. analysis by Angela Y
  Davis)
• After 9/11/2001, homeland security and the
  Arab/Muslim male as new Other
• Identification of the Other with Obama?

6
Result of Texas Ad Campaign

• Before ad 47 to 44 whites in favor of Obama
• After ad 12 point swing, 56 white voters favor
  Clinton
• Obama continues to be labeled a Muslim

7
(No Transcript)
8
History of racism in US media

• Willie Horton Ad, by George Bush, Sr.
• mugshot used for Bush, Sr election campaign 1988

9
Willie Horton in 1988 and 2008

• William becomes Willie
• Massachusettss Governor Dukakis labeled Soft on
  crime in defending furlough program for convicts
  without possibility of parole
• After ad campaign, Dukakis forced to end furlough
  program and loses presidency to Bush
• Group Launches Obama 'Willie Horton' Ad
• In 2002, Obama voted "NO" on HB 1812, a bill
  designed to toughen penalties for crimes
  committed in furtherance of gang activities.
  (exposeObama.com)

10
Germany and its get tough social policies

• When a youth commits a crime and we let him go,
  then the probability that he will do another
  crime is actually lower than if wed punish him.
  Franz von Liszt (ca 1900)
• History of reforms in the youthful offenders acts
• Moral panic during electoral campaigns

11
Roland Koch and Munich subway station beating

• Gov Koch uses case to argue for
• Stiffer penalties for young offenders
• Now max sentence for youth (14 to 21 years old
  10 years
• Lower age of criminal responsibility from 14 to
  12 (had to retract after nationwide protest)
• Swift deportations for immigrants, even those
  born on German soil (ius sanguines)

12
Result of Kochs campaign

• Politics of Repression backfired among voters
  who switched to opposition party
• Kochs party (CDU) won by less than 1 and
  cannot form majority government in Hessen
• Voter fatigue of false promises
• Nationwide CDU use of anti-immigration platform
  for 2009 federal elections
• Harsh verdict by Munich judge

13
Abolitionist Strategies

• Build coalitions of anti-racist groups and be
  vigilant about xenophobia
• Letters to editor
• Diffuse moral panic through education and
  offering alternatives (e.g. polling questions,
  workshops, etc.)
• Others?