Crime and Reform in La España Moderna (1889-1914)

Throughout the nineteenth century, the Spanish press, aiming to appeal to a wider audience, adopted a more sensationalist flavour and sought to satiate the public’s fascination with crime. This article traces the development of the relationship between crime and the press through the initiatives of the Madrilenian cultural review La España Moderna, whose general editor, Lázaro Galdiano, rather than pandering to the public’s demands for sensationalist descriptions, decided to use his publication as a forum for discussions on the topic and to publish articles both on, and by some of the leading criminologists of the period. Lázaro and the contributors of La España Moderna innovatively sought not only to educate the public on the latest ideas on crime and criminology but also, through the vehicle of literature and other techniques, to make these new currents of thought accessible to a wider public. They encouraged readers to situate their own ideas within the context of European debates, notably those relating to questions surrounding Spain’s racial inferiority and degeneration. In so doing, the review aimed to incite interest in the topics of crime and criminology, to open up new discussions, to promote reform and thereby facilitate Spain’s regeneration.