Crime, criminality and North - to - South criminological complexities: theoretical implications for policing ‘Hotspot’ communities in ‘Underdeveloped’ countries

This presentation is applicable to the Southern Criminology project and epistemic decolonialisation more generally as it adds to the discourse on expanding transnational policing agendas. It explores the dangers of designing policies using force-to-fit northern theories falling short in their considerations of social and cultural diversity, context and social actors. We do this by highlighting the implicit and ideological level to suggest the importance of considering the social and cultural ideologies of ‘othered’ groups on the ‘margins’ as relevant to criminological discussions; and presenting the general complexities of North to South policing policy transfer. Marginalized communities in underdeveloped societies with diasporic histories and culturally unique positions on crime and criminality are presented as a context for understanding the complexity of policing policies informed by Northern ideological positioning. Our discussion adds to ongoing scholarly discussions by highlighting the relevance of research on the ‘margins’ to arbitrating the problematic interface among theory, policy, parity and populace