Wilding in the United States

Wilding in relation to Crime and Race

Wilding is included in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime (1), beginning with: The term wilding first arose in connection with the Central Park jogger rape case in New York City in 1989 and generally refers to random crime sprees by urban youth for recreational purposes. The origins of the term are somewhat murky, but its subsequent widespread use by media outlets is well documented. The term was usually employed with distinct racial and ethnic overtones and applied to particular kinds of crimes, though its meaning and usage shifted over time. The use of the term promoted public fear of crime and contributed to racial tension in New York City during the early 1990s. After the woman in the Central Park case, who was beaten, raped, and left for dead in a ravine, was found, police rounded up minority youth who had been in the park that night.

Resources

Notes and References

1. Entry about Wilding in the Encyclopedia of Race and Crime

See Also