Within western societies the social issue “underclass link to the crimes” has been the agenda of debate since early nineteenth century. Many social theorist believe that, the extent of inequality among individuals is much more within modern societies compare to traditional societies and the social phenomenon have given rise to extreme social exclusion. Historical studies on inequality suggest that, uneven distribution of resources among individuals is not a new social phenomenon it existed in past societies as well. However, the seed of inequality which was sown in the past has grown in today’s society. In traditional societies under class did exist but they were not socially excluded whereas, in modern societies individuals of underclass are socially marginalized.
Association of certain race or class with dangerousness was a common colonial perception. When sub-continent India was the colony of British, inhabitant of India were closely policed by white settler authorities because of their race. Many laws and policies were formulated to reform these groups or to change their culture (way of life). The history of slavery within United States of America provide detail account of discrimination based on cast, color and creed whereby, black people face extreme prejudice in the criminal justice system.
Moreover, apart from race poor people are treated differently. Davis and cox studies suggest that, In Europe individuals of poor factions are considered as dangerous class even though they were white. The mass migration of people from eastern and southern Europe to North America, Britain and Australia ignited the perception of dangerous class. The white immigrants who settled in the urban parts of mentioned countries in the hope of better life were considered as different creatures by the inhabitants and criminal justice system of given countries.
Furthermore, many studies of criminology and criminal justice system was influenced from the theoretical perspective of prominent social thinker Herbert Spencer. He presented the concept “survival of the fittest and racial degeneration” which suggest that group of unfit people were threatening to out-breed “group of fit people” within a given society. 1869 Habitual criminal Act and 1879 Habitual drunkard Act of Britain were enforced to detect and detain those delinquents who are habitual of committing various kind of crimes.
In 1875, American criminologist Richard Dugdale conducted the study of Jukes Family in which analyzed and explained the structure of criminal families. He argued that murderers who were married to prostitutes and mentally defective women usually had delinquent children. Furthermore, a distinguished criminologist Lombroso’s explained crime and criminal types via pathological or scientific approach. His work suggests that criminal types can be recognized from body and face expressions and inherited characteristics. However after 1945 social workers emphasized on the term “problem family” to deal with juvenile delinquency. On one hand, it was positive development to analyze juvenile delinquency by associating with family relation. On the other hand, it imitate the earlier characterization of degenerate families.
It is easy to understand why the studies of race and crime were focused on and applied to non-white emigrants. The association of criminal activities with foreigners was a common established belief in Britain. Deviant foreigner belief was not only attached to a single group but many from Jews, Irish, Malay and Chinese who migrated in nineteenth century to West Indian migrant of mid twentieth century and asylum seekers of present. Though, the concern of deviance was not only limited to non-white foreigners but often accompanied by the concern of white under class. The business establishments, art and drugs for leisure activities emerged around historic migrant residential areas were now metropolitan urban spaces and subjected to strict policing and surveillance as a site of potential trouble.
West Indians were one among many groups of emigrants whose experiences within criminal justice system caught the attention of criminologists in Britain. Post war the moral panic of criminality around white under class was replaced by the moral panic of criminality around West Indians. The target was particularly Jamaicans migrants and their children. Press played an important role in creating moral panic of criminality around West Indian among public by associating crimes such as, mugging, hustling and drug dealing or drug abuse with black people. As a result West Indians were frequently arrested and prosecuted based on suspicion.
Written by; Khushdil Khan Kasi
