Media and crime

Question 1

Examples of how the media distorts the picture of crime

Answer 1

Over-represent violent/ sexual crime (Ditton + Duffy) 46% media reports
- make up 3% of all crimes

exaggerate police success

exaggerate risk of victimisation (women)

Question 2

What is meant by news values

Answer 2

criteria, journalists decide if newsworthu

• dramatisation (action)
• personalisation (interest)
• risk (victim centred)
• simplification (black + white)

Question 3

Ways the media can cause crime

Answer 3

• Desensitisation, watch violence in the media, lowers shock value
• Deprivation, unobtainable lifestyles, commit crime to achieve them
• Imitation, role models, act out (GTA)
• Arousal + adrenaline, increased traffic crimes after F&F release

Question 4

How the media can create a fear of crime

Answer 4

1. Media causes fear of being a victim
2. spend time at home
3. consume more media
4. more fear generated

(Gerbner et al, heavy TV users, more fear)

Question 5

Link between the media, relative deprivation and crime

Answer 5

Lea + Young:
media have a standardised image of lifestyle, accentuates sense of relative deprivation.

Merton= pressure to conform causes deviancy

Question 6

What is meant by cultural criminology

Answer 6

The media turn crime into the commodity people desire
(Hayward + Young, media saturated society)

Question 7

Commodification of crime

Answer 7

• crime is a style to be consumed
• marketed as cool
• car ads with street riots, graffiti and suicide bombing

Question 8

Concept of moral panics

Answer 8

exaggerated over reaction

• media identify group as folk devil
• present stereotypically, exaggerate problem
• respectable people condemn the group

Question 9

Mods and rockers, moral panic

Answer 9

2 groups WC
mods= smart, scooters
rockers= leather jackets, motorbikes
(confrontations)
- media exaggerated
- predicted further conflict
- symbols negatively labelled

Question 10

Concept of deviancy amplification

Answer 10

Cohen: Media portrayal of events makes things seem like they are getting out of hand, causing more stigma

Question 11

Relationship between the media and cyber-crime

Answer 11

Jewkes, internet creates opportunities to commit conventional crimes.

Wall 4 types:
- cyber-trespass (hacking)
- deception/theft (phishing)
- pornography
- violence (stalking)