Shoplifting has had an “outsized impact” on discussions about crime that has been exploited by justice reform opponents, one professor argued on Friday.
Brooklyn College sociology professor Alex Vitale joined a group of professors and researchers in addressing CNN about the increasing worries surrounding retail theft, particularly as more stores close or relocate from major urban areas. Despite the escalating concerns, Vitale asserted that the anxiety is often exaggerated.
“Historically, shoplifting has always had this outsized impact on public discourse,” remarked Vitale. He further explained, “We see examples on video of behaving badly and it gets invested with all this extra meaning about the collapse of social order.” Vitale’s perspective suggests a critical examination of the narrative surrounding retail theft, cautioning against sensationalizing isolated incidents and attributing them to broader societal issues.
CNN’s report framed “anxiety over shoplifting” as a long-standing and enduring phenomenon, often serving as a symbolic representation for broader concerns related to cultural, economic, or political changes. This trend has evolved over the years, from concerns about “bored and sexually repressed” women in the 1800s to a more politically and culturally charged atmosphere surrounding shoplifting in the 1960s.
Michael Flamm, a historian from Ohio Wesleyan, emphasized the political and cultural dimension of shoplifting during the 1960s, stating, “There was a much wider articulation that shoplifting was a critique of the capitalist system.” According to Flamm, shoplifting became intertwined with a broader sentiment that respect for authority was diminishing, serving as a symbolic expression of larger societal concerns and anxieties. that has been exploited
In 2022, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that retailers nationwide experienced a loss of $112.1 billion in revenue due to theft. Cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City were notably among the most affected. Major retail brands, including Target and Walmart, have responded to concerns about retail crime and annual losses by closing multiple stores. This underscores the tangible impact of theft on both local economies and prominent retail establishments.