Lynching as an indicator of destructive processes in modern Russian society

Abstract

The article updates the issue of the prevalence of vicious punishment of harm-doers in Russian society, since the presence of this ancient practice at this point of community development indicates destructive processes in it. The following socio-psychological determinants of this phenomenon are designed and highlighted: the growth of social aggressiveness, feelings of hatred or enmity, defects in legal psychology caused by the development of legal nihilism, disappointment in the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies against the backdrop of a high level of crime in the country, rejection of the humanism of domestic criminal policy, mindset and the criminalization of Russian society, the formation of addiction to revenge and lynching, cultivated by the media. The catalyst for lynching harm inflicted primarily by affect, frustration, stress and resentment caused by a crime or other offence, which nullify the restraining imperatives of behaviour. The author concludes that it is necessary to develop appropriate measures that are proposed in the work to eliminate this negative phenomenon in Russian society.

Keywords

• lynching
• socio-psychological determinants of lynching
• social destruction
• social aggression
• hatred
• enmity
• social justice