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Relationship between crime and media
Relationship between crime and media
Relationship between crime and media
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TITLE The phrase “The Media” is commonly used to describe the various ways media technologies communicate to a very large audience. The phrase, coined in the 1920s, was generally used for the description of print media such as newspapers. During this time a new era of sensationalism started to focus on crime. For examples, the story of Leopold and Leob, two teenagers who kidnapped, killed and mutilated a 14-year-old neighbor became known as the “trial of the century”. As well as the event of Ruth Snyder’s trial, where she was convicted for killing her husband with the help from her other lover that put the then media world in a whirl. Fast-forward to today and the term “the Media” now covers books, magazines, newspapers, radio, television, …show more content…
The abundant showcasing of crime starts to change the way the public perceives it thus turning the monogamous relationship between the media and the public into a lover’s triangle now between the media, the public, and crime. The studies on this polyamorous relationship between the media, the public and crime have resulted in various conclusions. Some research signifies that the media influences the public’s opinion on crime while others show that the public is the main influence on the crime content in the media. The way the media depicts criminal justice through the showcasing of violent crimes, the portrayal of the offender, and the representation of evidence influences the public’s opinion on crime therefore to keep the public’s opinion on crime closer to true reality, one must be fully aware of the way the media provides the information as well as who provides …show more content…
From the article by Ken Dowler, Thomas Flemming, and Stephen L. Muzzatti it is understood that the media misrepresents crimes through the heavy showcasing of violent crimes. Dowler supports the statement that crime fiction and crime reality have increasingly blurred over the years because of the violent depiction of crime in the media. Dowler also provides specific examples to demonstrate the media’s contribution of violent crime in their content. From the work of Christopher J. Ferguson it is conferred that the contribution of violent crime doesn’t come from the media but from the public. Ferguson states that human need plays a role in influencing the media. While Ferguson makes for a good argument ultimately Dowler’s point of view wins out. While the crime rate in America is falling people still fear violent crimes. Justin McCarthy, author of the article “More Americans Say Crime is Rising in the U.S.” published through Gallup, Inc., an American research-based, global performance management consulting company, talks about the public perception on crime rates rising. McCarthy
In reference to the media’s role, they have been highlighted for playing a part in maintaining these views by portraying victims in a certain way according to the newsworthiness of each story and their selectiveness (Greer, 2007). Furthermore, there has been an increase in both fictional crime programmes and crime documentaries, with Crimewatch particularly becoming a regular part of British viewing. In the modern context, crime has continued to represent a large proportion of news reporting and with the aid of social networking sites and self-publicity via the internet, journalists are now more able to dig even deeper into the lives of people on whom they wish to report. Newspapers continue to keep the public informed with the latest headlines and the internet has also provided opportunities for members of the public to have their input in blogs.
The increase in the use of the drug and violent crimes associated with abusing it impacted the rise of violent crimes. News coverage of the increase in crime associated with drugs led to hysteria throughout the country. Panic ensued over a public misunderstanding of violent crime and drug use. The media’s constant coverage added to the problem. “The attention to televised crime news leads to increased fear and concern, rather than that the already more fearful and concerned become more attentive” (Chiricos, Padgett, & Gertz, 2000,
The general public of Australia has a common aspect when associated with their sources of knowledge of crime. Many would agree the media, especially newspapers and television, are their most frequent and well known source of crime activity. The media updates society with data about the extent, frequency and types of crimes committed (Moston and Coventry, 2011, p.53). Studies highlight our grasp of crime is majorly derived from the media, with a lack of exposure to police statistics or victimisation surveys. There is a concern in correlation to this fact since the media has inconsistency and inaccuracy in reporting crime. Due to this, the media can misrepresent victims and perpetrators, downsizing them to recognisable stereotypes (Moston and
Most people use second hand information as their core source of information about crime, this source of information usually being the media. When carrying out sample research in Birmingham, Susan Smith (1984) discovered that 52% of people obtained most of their information about crime from the media, 36% obtained it from hearsay or alleged experiences of friends and neighbours, 3% from their own experiences, and 1% from the police service themselves (cited in Jones, 2001; 8). However the media tend to exaggerate upon areas of criminal activity causing a moral panic. ‘A moral panic is a semi- spontaneous or media generated mass movement based on the perception that some individual or group, frequently a minority group or subculture, is dangerously deviant and poses menace to society. These panics are generally fuelled by the media, although not always caused by, media coverage of social issues… These panics can sometimes lead to mob violence… (newsfilter.co.uk).
The media plays a huge role in forming people's perceptions of crime. Without the media we would remain ignorant to occurrences outside our direct social groups. The media and especially news coverage therefore provides us with an important point of contact with the rest of society. In evaluating its effect on popular perceptions of crime it becomes important to consider where most of the information comes from and how representative it is on actual criminality. If it takes "facts" (the truth, the actual event, a real thing) or if it is heightened to a crime myth. With a myth being based upon "exaggeration" or heightening of "ordinary" events in life. Crime myths become a convenient mortar to fill gaps in knowledge and to provide answers to question social science either cannot answer or has failed to address. Myths tend to provide the necessary information for the construction of a "social reality of crime (Quinney, 1970)." As crime related issues are debated and re debated, shaped and reshaped in public forms, they become distorted into myth, as largely seen in the mass media.
According to John Davidson's essay Menace to Society, "three-quarters of Americans surveyed [are] convinced that movies, television and music spur young people to violence." While public opinion is strong, the results of research are divided on the effects of media violence on the youth in this country. Davidson wrote that most experts agree that some correlation between media violence and actual violent acts exists, yet the results are contradictory and researchers quibble about how the effects are to be measured (271). Moreover, Davidson is not convinced that the media is the sole problem of violence, or even a primary problem. He points out that other factors, such as "poverty, the easy accessibility of guns, domestic abuse, [and] social instability" may have a greater impact on a child becoming violent than the influence of the media (277). Even though other forces may be stronger, media violence does have some adverse effects on the members of society. If senseless violence on television and in movies had no effect, it would not be such a hotly debated topic. What type of effects and whom they affect are the most argued aspects of the discussion.
Research also suggests that the media is a major decider in what crime cases get chosen to air on the news. While it was previously thought that what went on the news was arbitrarily picked or based on the most interesting cases, it turns out that it is not quite the case. J...
In this modern day and times, many issues involving violence occur in the society we live. These issues are extremely publicized by the media. In this respect, the media places its keen interests in how the issue should be represented as opposed to what should be represented. Logically, the media is tasked with every opportunity and choices possible to determine how issues of violence should be represented, or the outcomes that may result from a violent crime. It is also important to note the manner in which violence is represented could have a positive or negative effect to the person it is addressed to; thus, responsibility ought to be considered before reporting is done.
The media is our main source of knowledge about crime and other issues about the world. It shows us what is happening in the world which is beyond our direct experience and so it is very important. However the media can present a false view of reality and contain bias that the public needs to be aware of. The way the media represents crime can reinforce fear and create moral panic but as media consumers it is our job to critically analyze the content of the news and ask questions about the crimes that are shown in the media as to not be effected by the media in trying to shape our perceptions about crime.
The media, both in the mainstream and alternative sources, determine how the community view crime and how it represents the victims of crime, criminals and law enforcement officials. Media organisations have arguably become the main source of news, entertainment, recreation, and product information in society. For many people, media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, social media and television broadcasts informs viewers about events that affect their everyday lives. This essay it will explore the many variations of how crime is mispresented to society through mass media organisations.
What do the majority of the worlds children do in their social time? Watch television. The Jamie Bulger case asks the question can violent films be blamed after the two boys had reportedly watched ‘Child’s play 3’ before murdering the 3 year old (Slideshare.net, 2014). Newspaper headlines shout at us, enticing our attention about crime, designed to shock, frighten and titillate. What exactly is the relationship between media and crime? The three main theoretical perspectives that will be discussed include media effect, the moral panic theory and the ill-effects theory.
...it is the advent of television media that have sparked debate over the integrity of reliable news making. Print media was factual, although sometimes sensational, while electronic media made use of the technologies, such as videotapes and live footage to enhance and exaggerate the drama of the event even further. Many research studies have been conducted to show the effects of the media coverage on crime and how it influences the publics of fear of crime. Mass media has perpetuated a notion that crime is on the increase by portraying events and tragedies in the headlines that are sensational. The public buys into that idea, despite statistical accounts that reflect stable or low crime rates. The more stories people read and watch about crime, the more likely they are to think that crime is out of control. Politicians may then enact legal reforms to sooth the public’s outcry for crime control and prevention. As easy as it may be to hold the media accountable for barraging us with images and ideas that affect our views and beliefs, it important that the public take responsibility for the information that we consume. After all, there is always the “off” button on the remote control.
Today in our society, the criminal justice system appears throughout mass media. Everyone can see crime by looking in magazines, newspapers, books, and watching television shows. The media in the past years has crossed a fine line between crime information and entertainment. This can be seen by shows like the People’s Court or Judge Judy. The amounts of criminal images that people come in contact with on a daily basis suggest or influence fear to people. From the late 1970’s where westerns were traded in for crime shows like Perry Mason and even today shows like COPS or Gangland. The media including all the news networks have to be the first to put the information out, knowing the first bit of information that is put out is not as accurate
Taking the paper to another perspective public fear of crime might influence individual behaviors. The fear of crime is a psychology of risk perception, and this is due to impersonal communication and the media. Therefore, the fear of crime is only the fear of becoming a victim to a crime. Moreover, this very well may be the reason for the public fear on crime, and it does affect their behaviors. Females are in fear of crime, and becoming a victim.
Conclusively, the media’s obsession to report on rare and abnormally violent crimes, has led members of the public to conclude that three major misconceptions exist, relative to the Canadian Criminal Justice System. Canadians perceive crime rates as steadily rising, during periods of low crime; they underestimate the severity of punishments imposed by the CJS, and misjudge parole release and recidivism rates (Griffiths, 2015, pg.54). These misconceptions have led to the politicisation for increasingly more punitive sentencing procedures. The media’s reluctance to present information based on current crime statistics has played a major role in this problem. In other words, the media oversimplifies the details pertaining to a crime, and only