NCJ Number
223782
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 35 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2008 Pages: 34,36-40,42,43
Date Published
July 2008
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the idea behind "urban legends" and how law enforcement can educate the public to prevent the spread of the new "viral" urban legends.
Abstract
Described by one State police agency, urban legends are unverifiable stories comprised of outlandish, humiliating, humorous, terrifying, or supernatural events that always happened to someone else. One common urban myth is that old running shoes hanging from trees or power lines are “gang signs.” Before an urban legend is passed down, it must seem to somewhat make sense, and tap into an existing fear or a plausible fear. Today, urban legends are more focused on security and less innocent, and typically are shared via email. Propagating a good urban legend requires a focus on something people think a lot about. However, urban legends about email viruses are not as popular as they used to be due to the updated antivirus software. With other urban legends and hoaxes being spread widely and in many variations, the truth sometimes can be difficult to find. So, law enforcement protection today must go beyond the mall, the schools, and the office parks to cyberspace, cell phones, and other communication technologies. People need to be educated to that which is "real" fear versus the urban legends and hoaxes.