The Politics of Dangerousness

Notions of 'dangerousness' are closely related to particular value systems, as well as philosophical, moral and ideological perspectives. Clearly the major values and sociopolitical process in a society will tend to determine what will be perceived, defined, and officially labeled as dangerous, and how conditions and behaviors so labeled will be handled. However, the term 'dangerousness' is rather vague and often receives surplus meanings and varying interpretations. Indeed it has been suggested that, like beauty, dangerousness lies in the eye of the beholder (Shah 1981, p. 235).