Fascination with Criminals throughout History

The fascination with criminals has existed throughout history, with criminals like Billy the Kid and Bonnie and Clyde becoming folk heroes. This fascination is not limited to the United States but is a global phenomenon. Older societies moved away from publicly executing criminals as it highlighted the effects of putting a criminal loved by the public in the spotlight. Criminals, by defying societal norms, reflect back to society its own constraints, portraying law-abiding individuals as participants in a huge social prison. The concept of the panopticon symbolizes modernity, where individuals are confined within societal constraints.