Levan and Downing provide a nuanced examination of the research on video games and their relationship to crime and criminal justice. Drawing on critical and cultural criminology, the authors problematize the connection between gaming and crime, avoiding the usual moralization, politicization, and stigmatization that lead to unnecessary labeling, moral panics, and overregulation. Intersectionality is prominent in their analysis, highlighting the representation of race, ethnicity, and gender in games, including the overrepresentation of people of color as offenders and the overt sexualization of women. Challenging conventional views and stereotypes, the authors debunk assertions about the causal relationship between games and violence and examine the collaborative and creative benefits of role-playing games. Nonetheless, the authors argue, the sensational depiction of violent crime, the simplistic portrayal of the police as either heroic or corrupt, and the presentation of the prison as a correctional spectacle shape gamers’ misperception of crime, law enforcement, and punishment and contribute to public fears and moral panics. Well written and referenced, this book is an important contribution to criminology and cultural studies collections. Recommended. Undergraduates through faculty.

Choice Reviews

Crime, Punishment, and Video Games is a must-read for those interested in media, crime, and justice. Levan and Downing offer a critical look at crime and justice in the gaming industry that extends the conversation beyond the traditional video game-violence debate. It is a pivotal piece that is destined to push criminological research into gaming to the next level.

Dawn K. Cecil, University of South Florida St. Petersburg Campus

Crime, Punishment, and Video Games fills a long-standing gap in the criminological literature. As a comprehensive resource on the intersection between video games and modern conceptions of crime and justice, Levan and Downing clearly, and eloquently, debunk commonly held misconceptions about the causal relationship between crime and game play. Simultaneously, they offer a balanced and nuanced treatment of how video games depict and inform cultural understandings of police, courts, and corrections. Given the ubiquity of video game play and the centrality of gaming to modern culture, such a book is a welcome addition to the literature on media and crime. A must read for scholars and students alike.

Danielle Lavin-Loucks, Valparaiso University

From their earliest days, video games have engaged criminologically relevant topics like crime, deviance, violence, victimization, and the criminal legal system. Games have also been politically controversial—accused of corrupting the youth, driving violence, and engaging in hurtful or hateful representations of historically marginalized groups. Yet, criminology has been slow to take gaming seriously. In Crime, Punishment, and Video Games, Levan and Downing provide a relevant, accessible, and incisive examination of video games spanning the criminological gamut. This book is a Rosetta Stone for the curious criminologist and a must read for noobs and pros alike.

Kevin F. Steinmetz, Kansas State University