‘Eastern Criminals’ and Moral Panic: On Lithuanian Offenders in Danish Prison Facilities
Ida Harboe Knudsen
Chapter from the book: Frederiksen M. & Harboe Knudsen I. 2021. Modern Folk Devils: Contemporary Constructions of Evil.
Part of
Chapter from the book: Frederiksen M. & Harboe Knudsen I. 2021. Modern Folk Devils: Contemporary Constructions of Evil.
This chapter analyses an increased number of arrests made on young Lithuanian burglars in Denmark. Following the newspaper hype and political reactions to the burglaries, a distorted picture of the ‘devils’ is produced, letting the public believe that the Lithuanian lawbreakers are particularly inhumane, ruthless and violent. Despite the police reporting that they never have had any violent incidents with Lithuanians, the public image prevails. This negative image ends up affecting their treatment and their rights in Danish detention centres, as prison guards act in accordance with the image, rather than in accordance with their own experience. This makes Lithuanians a particularly vulnerable group of inmates in Denmark.
Harboe Knudsen, I. 2021. ‘Eastern Criminals’ and Moral Panic: On Lithuanian Offenders in Danish Prison Facilities. In: Frederiksen M. & Harboe Knudsen I (eds.), Modern Folk Devils. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33134/HUP-13-12
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Published on Dec. 13, 2021