One Punch can Start Moral Panic: An Analysis of News Items about Fatal Assaults in Queensland between 23 September 2006 and 28 February 2009

Abstract

This paper uses the sociological concept of ‘moral panic’ to argue that the contents of 90 news items about fatal assaults in Queensland during the period, 23 September 2006 and 28 February 2009, indicated the presence of moral panic. A summary of the moral panic concept is provided and then used to analyse the news items and illustrate that this moral panic reflected the classic elements of the concept. The paper concludes with a discussion of the Queensland government’s response, and argues that the moral panic concept remains a useful tool to evaluate the proportionality of responses to social phenomena.