Media Representation of Crime Flashcards
Types of media
newspapers, TV, film, electronic gaming, social media, music.
How can electronic gaming be considered harmful?
- many simulate violence and homicide.
- can be addictive.
- heavy users may become desensitised to crime.
- copycat crimes might occur.
Who was Anders Breivik?
a Norwegian right wing terrorist who murdered 77 people in a killing spree in 2011. he claimed that playing call of duty helped improve his marksmanship.
Types of newspapers
popular press - eg The Daily Mail and The Sun.
high quality press - eg The Guardian.
local and national press.
Is the type of crime in newspapers representative of the type of crime common in society?
No. Papers focus on serious violent crimes, that are seen as more ‘newsworthy’. Most actual crime is minor property crime, like shoplifting.
What are the eight main news values?
- higher status persons
- simplification
- dramatisation
- immediacy
- violence
- novelty or unexpectedness
- personalisation
- risk
How are victims represented in newspapers?
most victims in newspapers are children, women, middle class, white and older. this isn’t the case in the real world, as anyone can be a victim of crime.
How are causes of crime represented in newspapers?
often causes are ignored. eg terrorism is reported without explaining the political backstory.
How do films portray crime?
Films do not give a realistic portrayal of crime. Crime is usually dramatised to attract more viewers.
What type of crime is common in film?
Crimes like murder, kidnapping and bank robberies are common in film. This is not representative of the type of crime common in real life.
What happened to Jamie Bulger?
On February 12 1993 in Merseyside, two 10 year old boys (Robert Thompson and Ron Venables) abducted, tortured, and murdered a 2 year old boy, James Patrick Bulger.
How did film play a part in the Jamie Bulger case?
There was a theory that the violent movie ‘Childs play 3’ could have been an influence on the murder, as one of the killers had allegedly seen it - although his parents denied this claim.
What was Steven Craig convicted for?
Murdering his former partner, who died 21 years after he set her alight. He was received a second life sentence for the attack.
How did film play a part in the Steven Craig case?
He was allegedly inspired by a scene from Reservoir Dogs, where one character doused another in petrol and held a lighter to her face in a car park.
How is murder portrayed in crime dramas?
The motive for murder is often greed or calculation. In life, the most common motive is domestic conflict.
How are sexual assaults portrayed in crime dramas?
On TV, most sexual assaults are committed by psychopathic strangers. In reality, most attackers are known to the victim.
How are offenders and victims portrayed in crime dramas and factual crime programmes?
Offenders are usually portrayed as white, middle aged males. Victims are mostly women.
How are police portrayed in crime dramas?
The police in crime dramas have a much higher success rate than in real life - and more access to funding and resources.
What do factual crime programmes and documentaries usually focus on?
Usually focus more on young suspects and on violent crimes.
Examples of crime dramas
Criminal Minds, Law & Order, CSI, FBI, Rizzoli and Isles, Chicago PD, NCIS.
Examples of crime docuseries or true crime shows
Monsters, Dahmer, Conversations with Killers, Homicide, The Ripper.
How many people use social media?
62.6% of the world - 5.07 billion people.
Examples of social media platforms
Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter.
What are some reasons why people use social media?
entertainment, shopping, keeping up with friends and family, sharing experiences.
How can social media have a negative impact on criminal cases?
Criminal cases, eg missing persons cases, often gain a lot of attention on social media. This can lead to conspiracy theories, harassment of people involved, wasting of police time and resources, and much more.
What is an example of when social media has negatively impacted a case?
The Nicola Bulley case.
Conspiracy theories were spread, along with fake videos and photos. Family and friends were harassed. The village was swarmed.
Police received backlash over their mishandling of the case, including releasing private information.
How can social media have a positive impact on criminal cases?
Sometimes social media can be useful to raise awareness of crimes and offer information that may help the police with their investigation.
What is an example of when social media has positively impacted a case?
The Gabby Petito case.
Interactions with Gabby and her fiancé were shared, including witnesses of them arguing. A video showing her fiancé’s van helped police to find her body. Another video helped police find her fiancé’s whereabouts when he was running from police.
