In What Ways Has Criminology Sought to Understand the Rave Movement as Organised Deviance?

This article will discuss how criminology has sought to understand the rave movement as a form of organised deviance and the societal reaction to it. In order to do this, the article will first outline how rave culture can be observed as a working class reaction to social inequality, and how rave parties enabled individuals to escape the reality of their social position. It will then examine how the rave movement attempted to visibly resist mainstream culture through the use of style, symbols and rituals, before going on to outline how cultural criminologists argue that these subcultural tools also have internal and collective meanings to other members of this group. Finally, the societal reaction to rave culture will be explored and it will be highlighted how extensive media attention led to an increased criminal justice response to this perceived deviant group.