CRIME and MEDIA

Question 1

MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS of CRIME

Answer 1

over-represent violent and sexual crimes: 46% of media reports about violent and sex crimes yet they only made up 3% of crimes reported to police.

exaggerates police success, police are a major source of crime and want to present themselves positively AND media over-represents VIOLENT CRIME, has a HIGHER CLEAR UP rate than PROPERTY CRIME.

exaggerate risk of victimisation especially to women, white people and the rich

COHEN and YOUNG note NEWS is NOT discovered but MANUFACTURED

NEWS VALUES: criteria journalists use to decide whether a story is ‘newsworthy’ for the papers eg. dramatisation, higher status, violence

Question 2

MEDIA’S DISTORTIONS of CRIME

Answer 2

KIDD-HEWITT and OSBOURNE:
media reporting of crime is driven for the need of a SPECTACLE ( key value to DRAMATISATION). SPECTACLES are engaging as they both REPELL and FASCINATE audiences

POSTMAN:
media coverage is a mix of ENTERTAINMENT and SESNATIONALISM, leading to what he refers to as ‘INFOTAINMENT’

SURETTE:
LAW OF OPPOSITES, media shows the DIRECT OPPOSITE of OFFICIAL STATISTICS eg focuses on murders and violent crime when most crimes are property based

Question 3

THEORIES of MEDIA INFLUENCES on CRIME

Answer 3

FUNCTIONALISTS:
reporting crime helps to maintain social solidarity.
The crimes reported reflect society’s concerns, creates demand.

MARXISM:
reporting of crime reflects the ideology of the ruling class. Crimes of the POWERFUL and RULING CLASS (WHITE COLLAR and CORPORATE) are UNDER reported, crimes of the working class are OVER-REPORTED. The reporting of crime is used a tool to maintain control over powerless groups.

FEMINISM:
crime reporting reinforces the stereotyping and oppression of women. Women are portrayed as victims. UNDER REPORTING of VIOLENCE AGINST WOMEN: DV. Media is highly critical when reporting SEX CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN, provides entertainment.

Question 4

SOURCE of CRIME

Answer 4

HYPODERMIC SYRINGE MODEL suggests media has a DIRECT and POWERFUL INFLUENCE as it injects information to the PASSIVE minds of MEDIA AUDIENCES, subconsciously absorb info and influences behaviour.

SCHOOL OF CRIME: watching crime shows and the news encourage people to commit crimes as they learn skills and how to be less detectable.

DESENSITISATION: watching violence can LOWER people’s SHOCK VALUE meaning tehy are NO LONGER HORRIFIED by it and more likely to commit it.

DEPRIVATION: media present unattainable lifestyles of the rich and famous, leading people to commit crimes to also achieve that lifestyle eg MADE IN CHELSEA

Question 5

CAUSES FEAR of CRIME

Answer 5

FEAR OF CRIME CYCLE:
MEDIA causes a FEAR of being a VICTIM of CRIME, therefore people SPEND MORE TIME AT HOME where they CONSUME MORE MEDIA, which GENERATES MORE FEAR OF CRIME.
eg TERRORISM

MISSING WHITE WOMAN SYNDROME: type of victim that is likely to make the news cycle as she fits the stereotype of what media wants a victim to be.

MORAL PANIC:
public anxiety in response to a problem regarded as a threat to the moral standards of society.
Media identifies a group as a FOLK DEVIL, present them NEGATIVELY and EXAGGERATE the problem, MORAL ENTREPENEURS condemn the group, leading to a ‘CRACKDOWN’ on the group, which may CREATE a SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY that AMPLIFIES the problem.
eg MODS and ROCKERS