The Moral Panic Over “Superpredators” | Retro Report

This 10-minute video chronicles the origins of the superpredator myth of the 1990s, and how that flawed prediction gave rise to a moral panic that was used by politicians in both parties to justify changes to the criminal justice system that imposed harsh new penalties on youthful offenders that landed disproportionately on minority offenders. Focusing on the highly inaccurate predictions that fueled public fears, the video provides students with useful context on the politics, race relations, and demographic changes of the 1990s.