Media and crime Flashcards
Media representations of crime:
How does the media represent crime? e.g. the media over-represent violent and sexual crime
The media often gives disproportionate attention to violent and sexual crimes, making them seem more frequent than they are. For example, research by the British Crime Survey showed that violent crime rates in England and Wales have fallen by 50% since the early 1990s.
But media coverage of violent crimes remains high. Sensationalized stories about stabbings, shootings, and sexual assaults, particularly in urban areas, dominate headlines and television news, despite these crimes being less common overall. This focus creates a false sense of danger, with the public often overestimating the prevalence of violent crime.
Media representations of crime:
How does the media represent crime? e.g. the media exaggerate the risk of victimisation
The media often exaggerates the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime, especially among certain groups. A Home Office report from 2017 found that while 40% of women believed they were likely to be victims of a sexual assault, the actual incidence of rape is much lower, with around 1 in 5 women experiencing some form of sexual violence in their lifetime.
Similarly, news outlets often report on violent crimes involving older people or children, causing an inflated sense of fear. This exaggeration leads to anxiety, despite the overall crime rates being much lower than what is portrayed
The media as a cause of crime:
How does media cause crime through fear? (use sociologist)
Gree and Reiner argue that the media plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions of crime. They suggest that the media tends to sensationalize certain types of crime, particularly violent crimes, creating a heightened fear of crime among the public.
This fear is often disproportionate to the actual crime rates, leading to a moral panic. This portrayal can affect the behaviors of individuals and communities, as people become more fearful and cautious in their daily lives, even if their risk of victimization remains low.
Criticism:
What is a criticism that the media causes crime through fear? (use sociologist)
Jewkes criticizes this view by arguing that fear of crime is not simply a result of media sensationalism but is also influenced by social and economic inequalities.
She suggests that media coverage alone does not explain public fear; rather, the reality of living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, where crime is more prevalent, may contribute significantly to this fear. Therefore, it is not just the media that causes fear but the broader social context in which people live.
The media as a cause of crime:
How does media cause crime through relative deprivation? (use sociologist)
Lea and Young argue that the media contributes to crime by promoting a culture of relative deprivation, where individuals or groups feel deprived in comparison to others. This feeling of inadequacy and exclusion, heightened by the media’s portrayal of material success and consumerism, drives individuals to commit crimes to achieve similar lifestyles.
The media’s constant emphasis on wealth and consumer goods, particularly through advertising and reality TV, exacerbates feelings of deprivation, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas, leading to higher rates of crime.
Criticism:
What is a criticism that the media cause crime through relative deprivation? (use sociologist)
Merton critiques this explanation by arguing that relative deprivation is not sufficient on its own to explain crime. He points out that people in impoverished communities may experience deprivation but not necessarily turn to crime.
Merton argues that strain theory suggests that social structures, norms, and values, rather than simply media influences, play a more significant role in determining who is more likely to resort to criminal behaviour.
The media as a cause of crime:
How does the media causes crime through strain theory? (use sociologist)
Merton offers a different perspective by applying his strain theory, which argues that crime occurs when individuals are unable to achieve societal goals, such as wealth, through legitimate means. He suggests that the media reinforces societal aspirations by promoting the American Dream the idea that anyone can succeed through hard work.
However, when individuals in lower socioeconomic backgrounds are denied access to legitimate opportunities, they may resort to crime to achieve success, influenced by the messages they encounter in the media.
Criticism:
What is a criticism that the media causes crime through strain theory? (use sociologist)
Young criticizes Merton’s theory by suggesting it is too focused on individual responses to social structures. Young argues that Merton’s strain theory does not fully account for the collective experiences of groups, especially ethnic minorities, who are often marginalized by the media.
Therefore, the media’s representation of crime and social status does not just create individual strain but also collective feelings of injustice and alienation in minority communities.
The media as a cause of crime:
How does the media cause crime through moral panics? (use sociologist)
Cohen argues that the media plays a central role in moral panics, where public anxiety about an issue is amplified, often unjustifiably, through sensationalized media coverage. He explores this concept in his analysis of the “Mods and Rockers” conflict in the 1960s, showing how the media exaggerated youth deviance, leading to public fear and a moral panic.
Cohen suggests that the media uses such events to sell stories and create a narrative of social breakdown, which can influence public policy and public attitudes toward certain groups, particularly youth and ethnic minorities.
Criticism:
What is a criticism that media cause crime through moral panics? (use sociologist)
Hall et al. argue that Cohen’s focus on moral panics does not fully capture the power dynamics involved in creating these panics. They argue that moral panics often serve the interests of the ruling class, diverting attention from more serious structural issues, such as economic inequality and racism
By focusing on sensationalized social issues. Thus, moral panics may not be merely a result of media sensationalism but also a tool of social control used to maintain the status quo.
The media as a cause of crime:
How does the media cause crime through the deviance amplification spiral? (use sociologist)
Cohen argues that media sensationalism can create a feedback loop, where initial reports of deviance lead to increased media coverage, which in turn encourages more deviance, leading to more media coverage.
This deviance amplification spiral is evident in cases where the media’s exaggeration of a criminal event leads to further social stigmatization and criminalization of the individuals involved. Cohen suggests that this cycle perpetuates the public’s belief that crime is rampant, which influences public perceptions and policing strategies.
Criticism:
What is a criticism that the media cause crime through the deviance amplification spiral? (use sociologist)
Becker criticizes Cohen’s deviance amplification theory for assuming that the media’s portrayal of deviance directly causes the deviance. He argues that deviance is socially constructed, and the media’s role in amplifying deviance is secondary to the way society labels and reacts to behaviours.
According to Becker, the media’s role is not to create deviance but to highlight existing societal tensions and conflicts, and it is the labelling process that ultimately leads to criminal behaviour.
