Harm: A Neglected Concept in Criminology, A Necessary Benchmark in Crime Policy

Despite the centrality of harm to crime and criminalization and increasing interest in harm as a basis for crime control policy, there has been little systematic reflection within criminology on criminal harms or their identification, evaluation, and comparison. In this paper, we consider the status of harm in crime control policy, arguing the centrality of harm to crime and providing evidence of the trend toward harm-based approach to crime control. We then review the literature on the harms of crime and related concepts, i.e., the perceived seriousness of crime, costs of crime, impact of criminal victimization, and evaluation of drug-related harm. Each related body suggests either a reason, by way of inadequacy, or a means, by way of initial insight or analytical method, to advance a harm-based approach. On the basis of the literature review, we also identify substantial challenges of assessing the harms of crime, largely involving matters of morality, subjectivity, causality, standardization, quantification, and incommensurability. In a related paper (Greenfield and Paoli, 2012) we have developed an analytical framework with which to address at least some of these challenges. Here we conclude that a systematic assessment of the harms of criminal activities can serve important roles in policy analysis, despite the daunting conceptual and technical challenges that it faces.status: publishe