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Moving beyond discussions of potential linkages between violence and video games, Crime, Punishment, and Video Games examines a broad range of issues related to the representation of crime and deviance within video games and the video game subculture. The context of justice is discussed with respect to traditional criminal justice agencies, but also expanded throughout to include issues related to social justice. The text also presents the potential cultural, social, and economic impact of video games. Considering the significant number of video game players, from casual to competitive players, these issues have become even more salient in recent years. Regardless of whether someone considers themselves a gamer, video games are undoubtedly relevant to modern society, and this text discusses how the shift in gaming has impacted our perceptions of deviance, crime, and justice. The authors explore past, present and future manifestations of these connections, considering how the game industry, policy makers, and researchers can work toward a better understanding of how and why video games are an important area of study for criminologists and sociologists, and how games will present new promises and challenges in the years to come.
List of contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: Video Games and Violence
Chapter 2: Crime Typologies in Video Games
Chapter 3: Deviant Role-Playing
Chapter 4: Law Enforcement and Video Games
Chapter 5: Punishment, Prisons, and Jails in Video Games
Chapter 6: Portrayals of Race, Ethnicity, and Crime
Chapter 7: Video Games and Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity
Chapter 8: E-Sports, Gambling, Match-fixing, and Performance Enhancement
Chapter 9: Critical Criminology and Serious Gaming
Conclusion
About the author
Kristine Levan is associate professor of criminology in the Department of Culture, Society, and Justice at the University of Idaho. Steven Downing is associate professor of social science and humanities at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
