Crime in Media
Is the nature of crime in our society accurately presented by the media?
An opinion has been formed that crime is not accurately presented through the media within our society. In this essay, it will be demonstrated that through statistics and facts how this opinion is created. The media has a powerful role in how crime is seen within the community, and despite the statistics and information that is present to us we rely heavily on informed that is presented to us through media outlets such as newspaper, television, social media. Crime is delivered to the community through a variety a media exposure.
In the text book, Introduction into Crime and Criminology, Chapter 1, the literature discusses at great lengths that media portrayal, is not consistent with what official records and researches inform us. The media presents crime as predominately of violent nature. Often it can be argued if the increase on the coverage of real crime is intended increased entertainment rather than assisting police.
Many people argue that crime is based on its newsworthiness, and ability to sell to the community. For example crimes along the lines of white collar, pollution etc do not keep the same attention as more violent crimes like murder, assault. What ever the nature of a particular crime story, media is always selective, it is always a result of decision making process about which crimes, criminals and events are considered to be the most newsworthy to report:
‘The news reporter does not go out gathering news, and picking up stories as if they were fallen apples, he creates news stories by selecting fragments of information from the mass of raw data he receives and organises them is a conventional journalistic form. (Chibnall 1977, p.6)’
Media does have the ability to inform the public about the reality of crime, they generally report of various crimes that more universal and threatening. According to the ‘Australia Bureau of Statistics (2008), a
An opinion has been formed that crime is not accurately presented through the media within our society. In this essay, it will be demonstrated that through statistics and facts how this opinion is created. The media has a powerful role in how crime is seen within the community, and despite the statistics and information that is present to us we rely heavily on informed that is presented to us through media outlets such as newspaper, television, social media. Crime is delivered to the community through a variety a media exposure.
In the text book, Introduction into Crime and Criminology, Chapter 1, the literature discusses at great lengths that media portrayal, is not consistent with what official records and researches inform us. The media presents crime as predominately of violent nature. Often it can be argued if the increase on the coverage of real crime is intended increased entertainment rather than assisting police.
Many people argue that crime is based on its newsworthiness, and ability to sell to the community. For example crimes along the lines of white collar, pollution etc do not keep the same attention as more violent crimes like murder, assault. What ever the nature of a particular crime story, media is always selective, it is always a result of decision making process about which crimes, criminals and events are considered to be the most newsworthy to report:
‘The news reporter does not go out gathering news, and picking up stories as if they were fallen apples, he creates news stories by selecting fragments of information from the mass of raw data he receives and organises them is a conventional journalistic form. (Chibnall 1977, p.6)’
Media does have the ability to inform the public about the reality of crime, they generally report of various crimes that more universal and threatening. According to the ‘Australia Bureau of Statistics (2008), a
References: Reading: Davis B and Dossetor K, (Mis)perceptions of crime in Australia, Hayes, H and Prenzler, T, 2012, An Introduction to Crime and Criminology 3rd Edition, French Forest NSW, Pearson Australian Group Pty Ltd.