Vigilante justice is when individuals take the law into their own hands to punish criminals, often breaking the law themselves. It is different from organizations fighting organized crime. Vigilante justice has sinister roots and lacks the organization and protections of the legal system. It often involves breaking the law and personal connections to the crime, […]
Vigilantism originated in the 1830s in the US, with different motivations in the South and West. Vigilance committees were formed to keep slaves from running and to restore order where there was no law. The actions of vigilantes can vary in degree of violence and history and media determine whether they are heroes or lawbreakers. […]
