From Sketches to Stereotypes: Understanding Criminality through Student Illustrations

This study investigates the use of comics to challenge stereotypes about criminals, acknowledging the partial and sensationalized nature of cultural production. It examines how TV series, films, and news influence students’ perceptions. Using Art-Based Research (ABR), a creative and uncommon approach in criminology, the research adopts comics as a pedagogical and investigative tool. The study aims to empirically validate this method, contributing to the academic debate on creative techniques in social research. It tests the hypothesis that visual storytelling can reveal beliefs related to the criminal imaginary and stimulate critical reflection. Three workshops were conducted with university students (aged 20–25) from the University of Bologna and the University of Parma. Participants created drawings representing their idea of a criminal. Comics proved effective in promoting spontaneity, reflexivity, and multidimensional responses. A final collective evaluation fostered discussion and opened a scientific debate on the use of graphic media in criminological research. The data collected were rich and meaningful, thanks to the creative approach and attention to young people's emotional responses to crime.