Ironies of Crime, Control, and Criminology

Abstract

Irony is a kind of communication in which shared knowledge about a particular context is formed as a counter-intuitive statement with hidden meaning. Irony is important because it branches the tree of knowledge and balances morality. This paper reviews the definition and value of irony; examines ironic works on crime and control; proposes an irony of criminology: it can be studied with science and thereby improved; draws on this idea to provide a method-based theory of theory and findings; and concludes by discussing implications for future work in reflexive criminology.The accumulated wisdom of criminology is replete with irony (see, e.g., Cottee

How Victimized Drug Traders Mobilize Police

“…The use of this methodological strategy is premised on evidence that important knowledge can be obtained from communicating with and observing offenders, particularly because they know things that others, including police and some victims, do not know. Second, shifting the perspective from the law enforcer or law-abiding victim to the criminal provides insights into how existing concepts, typologies, and theories may be altered to achieve greater levels of validity, generality, and simplicity (see Jacques and Wright 2011b).…”

Agency as a Cause of Crime

“…Offenders possess uniquely first-hand information on the causes, mechanics, and consequences of crime commission (see, e.g., Copes and Vieraitis 2012;Copes, Forsyth, and Brunson 2007;Jacobs 1999;Jacobs and Wright 2006;Miller 2001;Topalli 2005;Decker 1994, 1997). Thus, by keying in on the offenders' perspective-rather than relying solely on that of government officials and victims-it is possible to generate a broader, potentially more valid understanding of crime and deviance (Jacques and Wright 2012; also see Bernasco 2010).…”