The Emotional Security of Real-life Television
Real-life television shows of police officers, such as COPS and LAPD: Life on the Beat, offer viewers an intimate, up-close look at life as seen through the eyes of determined police officers who patrol our streets. Television cameras capture actual footage of police officials working to expose and fight drugs, gangs, prostitution, and murder as well as other criminal injustices. As people watch the episodes, they cheer for the "good guys" and detest the "bad guys", hoping the police will eventually apprehend the criminals. Society wants to see the criminals arrested because people feel powerless and scared in a world overflowing with violence. Consequently, real-life television shows appeal to viewers by playing on their anxieties while giving them a sense of hope that the police can make America a safer place.
Statistics reveal that since 1960, crime rates have substantially increased from 1,620 per 100,000 persons to 4,593 per 100,000 persons in 1995.(1) This data illustrates the degeneration of society's "safety blanket." People no longer feel secure in the United States as they did in the past. They have become more vulnerable than ever to random acts of violence. Crime is ubiquitous and strikes at the heart of Americans when people least expect it, robbing them of their health, property, and loved ones. As a result, society has lost its confidence and assurance that the streets remain safe. Americans have become anxious about their safety knowing that "eight out of ten Americans are likely to be victims of crime in their lives."(2) Moreover, their belief and hope for a safer future has eroded.
The high percentage and presence of crime has instil...
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...ountry. COPS, LAPD: Life on the Beat, and other real-life television shows play on this insecurity and capture the attention of discouraged people. These shows provide people a sense of emotional security by airing episodes of the police arresting criminals. They do not guarantee that crime rates will subside nor do they convey the message that people will never be affected by crime. However, real-life television shows of police officers on the beat offer people an emotional escape from America's dangers. They give society a sense of hope that the police can still fight crime and create a safer America.
Endnotes
1. Crime Forum: "Future of the American Dream" Internet: "http://crime-free.org/dream.html" Paragraph 2. March 27, 1997
2. Crime Forum: "Future of the American Dream" Internet: "http://crime-free.org/dream.html" Paragraph 3. March 27, 1997
In today’s society the idea of “American Dream” has become a controversial and widely interpreted issue that awaked opinions and research from professionals in fields such as Economics and Journalism because of the concept that in general the American dream involves. In his essay, “Hiding from Reality,” Bob Herbert examines how the achievement of the American dream is affected by the economy and quality of education in American society, and the effect of the inadequate utilization of the sources by the politicians will impact future generations. Despite his diverse points of view to determine if the American dream is still a viable element in today’s US society, the restauration of the American
The Role of Act 3 Scene 1 and Act 3 Scene 5 in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
To begin with police officers faces more dangers than the average American citizen, “generally police are about three times as likely to be killed on the job as the average American” (Blako). “Some of the most important hazards police face are assaults, vehicle crashes, being struck by vehicles, stress, overexertion, and falls” (LaTourrette). Traffic stops make up a majority of the police deaths, but most of those deaths do not have to do with responding to the scene of a crime or the pursuit of a criminal suspect. Most would believe police have the most dangerous jobs in the world, yet many do not die in the line of duty. Police shows like Cops give the American population a false sense of danger when it comes day to day work of an officer. They only show the action to keep viewers interested because if you watching the normal stopping of a citizen to get a speeding ticket or to tell them a lights out the show would not be on anymore. If you do see an everyday traffic stop it is because something bad is about to happen like an oncoming vehicle probably not paying attention resul...
Hargreaves, Steve. "The myth of the American Dream." CNNMoney. CNN, 9 Dec. 2013. Web. 29 April, 2014.
his best. It is quite obvious that Hero is happy with her life and therefore Leonato
The documentary “Policing the Police,” by PBS, assists in providing insight into problems facing the city of Newark, New Jersey, and its police department. The documentary displays the opinions of both the police officers and the people of the communities on the most pressing crime related issues in the city and the solutions to them. The variety of perspectives that documentary provides is very informative and forces the viewer to look at the problems of police brutality in a more complex manner rather than black and white. Ultimately, the documentary exposes the failure of the Newark Police Department to work effectively and the solutions new leaders are beginning to implement.
This documentary takes place in Newark, New Jersey. One of the most crime filled cities in the United States. Murder, drugs, and gangs fill this city. Many police officers work hard to keep their city safe and others for other intentions. This documentary shows how the police work, their tactics, and the reality of how police officers are working with the community.
Greenberg, Brad A. "Dreams Fulfilled for New Citizens." San Gabriel Valley Tribune. California. 15 Apr. 2006.
When the task of creating a film trailer was first put to us, I had
Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/american-dream/students/thedream.html. Accessed 12 December, 2013. n.a. The aforesaid aforesaid aforesaid aforesaid aforesaid aforesaid aforesaid aforesaid a
Tran, Lynda. "Losing the 'American Dream'." USNEWS.com. N.P., 13 May 2013. Web. 12 Mar 2014. .
One might turn on any evening news broadcast these days and be bombarded with images of war, violence and stories of unsuspecting citizens victimized in their own communities. Is crime on the increase or is it just media hype? There are countless television shows with plots dedicated to the depiction of criminal activities fouled by law enforcement agencies with the helping hand of the law. Newspaper headlines scream out daily in bold print and action photos of the latest tragedies. Should the public be fearful of what the television conveys to us, be cautious of whatever new crime wave is presented on the media? These questions may lead one to wonder if the depiction of crime in the mass media affects the public’s perception of safety and danger in society.
Media portrayal of crime and criminal justice has become incredibly widespread in the last decade, with crime often considered both a source of news and entertainment. As a source of entertainment, crime and criminal justice have emerged as central themes across various sources of media. Most individuals do not have any direct experience with the criminal justice system, so their only source of information on this topic is the media. Particularly in television shows, portrayals of crime and criminal justice can be seen in everything from courtroom dramas to nightly news programs. Indeed, the popularity of crime shows has lead to some of television’s most enduring series, such as Law and Order and CSI. Because of this, fictional
Evensvold, Marty D. "The American Dream: Stories from the Heart of Our Nation." Library Journal Dec. 2001: 200. General OneFile. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
Television has seen plenty of producers, writers and viewers attracted to crime and deviance. The crime drama series is not an unchanging structure but develops in an intricate relationship with audiences, media institutions, social contexts and other genres. Crime drama series’ structure often begins with some strains to the social order by criminal forces. Historically police officers or “cops” are good and the criminals are bad. However today we can notice “bent” cops and sometimes sympathetic villains.