NCJ Number
168078
Date Published
1995
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This paper analyzes and critiques the portrayal of black cops and black criminals in film and television crime fiction.
Abstract
In both British and, to a lesser extent, American TV police/crime shows, black villains are stereotypically linked to drug dealing, violent street crime, and prostitution; black cop "heroes" tend to be presented as noble figures whose mission is to clean up the criminalized black neighborhoods. There are no flawed black cops, notable white-collar black villains, "sophisticated" black corporate gangsters and raiders, or computer-based defrauders in the urban crime drama. There are no complex villains and heroes, only emblematic figures. The issue is whether TV police/crime drama opens up new possibilities in representing blacks within mainstream generic conventions, or whether it can only reinforce existing racist imagery, only in a stylish and seductive manner. The author acknowledges that he is inclined toward the latter view. He argues that the tendency to portray blacks in stereotypical police and villain roles should be challenged and its relevance questioned, both critically and as production practices. The possibility of presenting more interesting and complex uses of the crime genre should be examined further, especially in relation to the wider diversity of black and white experiences, expectations, desires, and fantasies. 9 notes and references