High-profile crimes : when legal cases become social causes /

Some criminal cases and trials become national obsessions, such as the O. J. Simpson trial. Sociologist Chancer (Fordham Univ.), who previously produced two highly imaginative books on sadomasochism and pornography (Sadomasochism in Everyday Life, CH, Jan'93, 30-2972), here takes on celebrity crimes and trials. Restricting her focus to cases involving direct violence with gender and race-based elements, she explores their various social dimensions. Among others, she examines the rape of the Central Park jogger, the William Kennedy Smith and Mike Tyson rape cases, the Rodney King beating case, and the murder of Yusef Hawkins. These cases brought into especially sharp relief the ongoing social tensions and conflicts over race and gender in the US. Chancer is particularly concerned with exposing the simplistic dichotomies that tend to arise in the public responses to such cases, with complexities glossed over. Drawing from her interviews with a range of those involved in these cases, from lawyers to journalists, she produces a vivid portrait of the cultural forces enmeshed in high-profile crime cases. This rich, sophisticated book should be of interest to students of crime, race relations, and the role of the media in US life. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. D. O. Friedrichs University of Scranton