vigilantism
Unauthorized justice pursuit
Vigilantism is the practice of taking law enforcement into one's own hands, bypassing official authorities to punish perceived wrongdoers.
It ranges from neighborhood watch groups that cross into harassment to lynch mobs and armed militias.
The impulse typically arises when people believe the justice system has failed: The shooting sparked debates about vigilantism versus self-defense.
A vigilante is someone who engages in such activities.
Outside court authority
- citizen's arrestCivilian detaining suspected criminal
- self-helpUnassisted personal development
- frontier justiceExtralegal punishment in lawless regions
- mob justiceExtralegal punishment by crowds
lynching · posse · kangaroo court · summary justice · take the law into one's own hands · rough justice · necktie party · tar and feather
Crowd executing without trial
- mob ruleDominance by unruly crowds
- mob violenceGroup-inflicted harm
- mobocracyRule by crowds
- witch huntPersecuting supposed wrongdoers
mass hysteria · riot · public execution · spectacle · scapegoating · moral panic · collective punishment · gang
Resident-led area surveillance
- guardian angelsProtective spirits assigned to individuals
- patrolRegular surveillance route
- community policingPartnership-based crime prevention
- crime preventionStopping offenses before occurrence
deterrence · safeguarding · watchfulness · surveillance · crime watch · citizen patrol · block watch · safety patrol
Retaliation for injury
- retaliationPunitive response to injury
- paybackRetaliation for wrongs
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- avengerRetribution dealer
blood feud · eye for an eye · settling scores · vendetta · reprisal · nemesis · comeuppance · grudge
Zealous advocate for change
- championTop competitor, or advocate
- avengerRetribution dealer
- masked heroDisguised defender of justice
- caped crusaderCloaked vigilante hero
batman · superhero · crime fighter · punisher · lone wolf · anti-hero · zorro · secret identity
Absence of governing rules
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- unrestState of public disturbance
- failed stateUngovernable nation lacking authority
power vacuum · anarchy · civil disorder · crime wave · dystopia · ungoverned · wild west · no-man's-land
extrajudicial
Outside court authority
- citizen's arrestCivilian detaining suspected criminal
- self-helpUnassisted personal development
- frontier justiceExtralegal punishment in lawless regions
mob justice · lynching · posse · kangaroo court · summary justice · take the law into one's own hands · rough justice · necktie party · tar and feather · night riders
lynch mob
Crowd executing without trial
- mob ruleDominance by unruly crowds
- mob violenceGroup-inflicted harm
- mobocracyRule by crowds
witch hunt · mass hysteria · riot · public execution · spectacle · scapegoating · moral panic · collective punishment · gang · hue and cry
neighborhood watch
Resident-led area surveillance
- guardian angelsProtective spirits assigned to individuals
- patrolRegular surveillance route
- community policingPartnership-based crime prevention
crime prevention · deterrence · safeguarding · watchfulness · surveillance · crime watch · citizen patrol · block watch · safety patrol · protective
vengeance
Retaliation for injury
- retaliationPunitive response to injury
- paybackRetaliation for wrongs
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
avenger · blood feud · eye for an eye · settling scores · vendetta · reprisal · nemesis · comeuppance · grudge · counterstrike
crusader
Zealous advocate for change
- championTop competitor, or advocate
- avengerRetribution dealer
- masked heroDisguised defender of justice
caped crusader · batman · superhero · crime fighter · punisher · lone wolf · anti-hero · zorro · secret identity · cape
lawlessness
Absence of governing rules
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- unrestState of public disturbance
failed state · power vacuum · anarchy · civil disorder · crime wave · dystopia · ungoverned · wild west · no-man's-land · frontier
- mob violenceriot, lynching, lynch mob, mob justice, looting
- vigilantismlynch mob, lynching, mob justice, frontier justice, posse
- crimesarson, burglary, robbery, kidnapping, vandalism
- comic themesheroism, villainy, secret identity, origin story, super strength
- heroismbravery, valor, hero, courage, heroism
- comic book ethicsgood vs evil, justice, redemption, sacrifice, heroism
vigilantismlaw enforcement
Upholding legal codes
rule of law · judicial process · police action · criminal justice system · due process
vigilantismdue process
Guaranteed judicial fairness
fair trial · legal proceedings · judicial review · constitutional protections · right to counsel
vigilantismnon-intervention
Policy of staying uninvolved
inaction · apathy · acquiescence · indifference · looking the other way
vigil, vigilant, vigilance, vigilante, vigilantly, vigilantes