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	A '''vigilante''' is a person or group that tries to enforce justice, punish wrongdoing, or control crime outside ordinary legal authority. Vigilantism can range from public shaming and amateur investigation to patrols, confrontation, detention, and violence.

A '''vigilante''' is an individual or group who takes the law into their own hands and seeks to enforce justice or address perceived wrongs outside the established legal system. Vigilantes often act with a strong sense of moral righteousness, driven by a belief that traditional institutions are inadequate or ineffective in addressing certain issues. The term "vigilante" has been used throughout history to describe a range of individuals and movements, each with their own motivations and methods.
	The term is usually critical. It suggests that a person has moved from reporting or preventing crime into taking over the role of police, courts, or lawful public authorities. The boundary is important because some action by ordinary people is lawful. Reporting crime, preserving evidence, using reasonable force to stop an attack, and making a lawful [[Citizen's_Arrest\|citizen's arrest]] are not the same thing as punishment or revenge.

== Origins and Historical Examples ==
The concept of vigilante justice dates back to ancient times, where communities relied on informal groups to maintain order and seek retribution. In more recent history, notable examples of vigilante movements include:
	== Meaning ==
	Vigilantism is defined by its relationship to lawful authority. A vigilante may believe that police, courts, moderators, employers, or other institutions have failed. They may see themselves as filling a gap. That belief does not by itself make their actions lawful, accurate, or fair.

=== Old West Vigilantes ===
During the American frontier era in the 19th century, vigilantism emerged as a response to lawlessness and the perceived lack of effective law enforcement. Groups such as the "Vigilance Committees" formed in mining towns to impose order, deliver swift justice, and protect their communities.
	The clearest warning sign is punishment. A person who restrains someone briefly so police can arrive is acting in a different way from a person who hunts suspects, threatens them, publishes private information, or assaults them after the danger has passed.

=== Anti-Crime Vigilantes ===
In modern times, some communities have witnessed the rise of vigilante groups driven by concerns over crime rates and a perceived lack of police effectiveness. These groups often patrol neighborhoods, monitor activities, and may engage in citizen's arrests or confrontations with suspected criminals.
	== Lawful Public Action ==
	Ordinary people can lawfully help prevent harm in limited ways. In England and Wales, section 24A of the [[Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984]] allows a person other than a constable to arrest without warrant for indictable offences, including either-way offences, when the statutory conditions are met. Section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 also allows reasonable force in the prevention of crime or in effecting or assisting a lawful arrest.

=== Cyber Vigilantism ===
With the advent of the internet, a new form of vigilantism has emerged. Cyber vigilantes aim to combat online crimes such as hacking, fraud, and child exploitation. These individuals often gather evidence, expose offenders, and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to bring them to justice.
	Those powers are narrow. They do not allow private punishment, interrogation, humiliation, revenge, or indefinite detention. They also do not turn a private person into a police officer.

== Motivations and Methods ==
Vigilantes are typically motivated by a strong sense of justice, often rooted in their perception of social or moral injustices. Their methods can vary widely and may include:
	== Common Forms ==
	=== Street and Community Vigilantism ===
	Street vigilantism may involve patrols, confrontation, or attempts to remove people from an area. Some groups present themselves as community protection. Others become threatening or violent. The law normally looks at the actual conduct, not the label the group uses.

=== Direct Action ===
Vigilantes may take direct action to address perceived wrongs. This can involve confronting individuals, conducting investigations, or carrying out acts of retribution. Direct action can range from peaceful protests to acts of violence, depending on the vigilante's beliefs and convictions.
	=== Online Vigilantism ===
	Online vigilantism can involve identifying suspects, publishing names, contacting employers, sharing alleged evidence, or trying to organise harassment. It can expose real wrongdoing, but it can also spread false allegations, misidentify people, interfere with investigations, and create defamation or privacy issues.

=== Information Gathering ===
Vigilantes often gather information independently, using techniques such as surveillance, online research, and whistleblowing. This information can be shared with the public, law enforcement, or relevant authorities to expose wrongdoing and seek legal action.
	=== Paedophile-Hunter Groups ===
	Some groups arrange online conversations with suspected child sex offenders and then confront them on camera. Evidence from such activity may sometimes be passed to police, but the conduct can also create risks around entrapment arguments, safety, public order, contamination of evidence, and harassment.

=== Community Support and Protection ===
Some vigilante movements focus on community support and protection rather than direct confrontation. These groups may provide services such as neighborhood watch programs, self-defense training, or community outreach initiatives to prevent crime and create a sense of safety.
	=== Anti-Scam Activity ===
	Scambaiting and scam-reporting communities may waste scammers' time, record methods, and warn potential victims. They become closer to vigilantism when they move into harassment, unauthorised access, threats, or exposing private information beyond what is needed to warn others.

== Controversies and Criticism ==
Vigilantism is a highly contentious practice, and its ethical implications have sparked intense debate. Critics argue that vigilante actions can undermine the rule of law, encourage vigilantism as a substitute for due process, and potentially lead to violence or further injustice. Moreover, vigilantism may lack accountability, proper training, and legal safeguards.
	== Risks ==
	Vigilantism creates several recurring risks:

== Legal Considerations ==
Vigilante actions often exist in a legal gray area. While some jurisdictions may allow citizens to make arrests or defend themselves and others in certain circumstances, the use of force or engaging in illegal activities can have legal consequences. It is essential for vigilantes to familiarize themselves with the laws and regulations of their respective jurisdictions to avoid unintended legal ramifications.
	* The wrong person may be accused.
	* Evidence may be contaminated or made unusable.
	* A confrontation may escalate into violence.
	* Suspects may be punished before any fair process.
	* Private information may be published without lawful justification.
	* Police investigations may be disrupted.
	* The vigilante may commit assault, false imprisonment, harassment, criminal damage, or public order offences.

	Even where the original suspicion is correct, later conduct can still be unlawful. A thief, fraudster, or violent attacker does not lose all legal protection because someone else believes they are guilty.

	== Examples ==
	=== Lawful Intervention ===
	A person sees an assault in progress, restrains the attacker only long enough for police to arrive, and uses no more force than reasonably appears necessary. That is closer to lawful prevention of crime than vigilantism.

	=== Vigilante Retaliation ===
	A group tracks down a suspected thief the next day, threatens them, damages their property, and posts their address online. That is punishment and intimidation rather than immediate crime prevention.

	=== Unreliable Online Exposure ===
	An online account publishes a name and photo based on a partial screenshot and claims the person is a criminal. If the identification is wrong or unsupported, the harm can be serious and difficult to undo.

	== Relationship with the Rule of Law ==
	The rule of law depends on process as well as outcome. Police need lawful powers. Courts need evidence. Defendants have rights. Victims deserve protection. Vigilantism often becomes dangerous because it tries to shortcut those safeguards.

	Responsible public action is different. Reporting offences, giving witness statements, preserving footage, helping someone escape danger, and using lawful reasonable force can support the justice system rather than replace it.

== See Also ==	== See Also ==
	* [[Citizen's_Arrest]]
	* [[Self_Defence]]
	* [[Police_officer]]
	* [[Rule_of_Law]]

* [[Rule of Law]]
* [[Citizen's Arrest]]
* [[Ethics and Justice]]
	== References ==
	* [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/60/section/24A Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, section 24A]
	* [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1967/58/section/3 Criminal Law Act 1967, section 3]
	* [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/4/section/76 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, section 76]
	* [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/police-and-criminal-evidence-act-1984-pace-codes-of-practice GOV.UK: PACE codes of practice]
	* [https://www.cps.gov.uk/publication/householders-and-use-force-against-intruders Crown Prosecution Service: householders and use of force against intruders]

	[[Category:Law]]
	[[Category:Criminal law]]
	[[Category:Public order]]