Black and white violence in Britain: The articulation of race in popular and criminal justice discourses

Abstract

Through the theme of violence, this paper identifies how popular racial symbols in British society intersect with the way court cases are discerned and elucidated beyond the legal context of perception and interpretation. The intersection is illuminated through the racial dichotomy that underpins popular and criminal justice representations of 'acts of violence' by black 1 and white males. As a guide to a clearer insight into the role of the court in reproducing and sustaining racial images of violence, the paper firstly reflects on the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry of 1998/9.