Published 2005-12-01
“…In particular, interpreting the adoption of repressive legislation in the wake of the 1860s ‘moral panics’ (1863 Garotters’ Act, 1864
Penal Servitude Act, 1869 and 1871 Habitual Criminals Acts) as a means for the ruling middle classes of comforting and legitimising their political and social hegemony by labelling certain inferior social groups as a ‘criminal class’ (or ‘underclass’, or ‘residuum’) and making them the target of police and justice repression, has proved to be a particularly popular and enduring line of thought (see Jennifer Davis et alii). …”
Get full text
Article