Role Of Media And Perception Of Crime In The United States

PERCEPTION OF CRIME AND ITS LEVELS IN THE USA
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Introduction Failure to demystify crime by the Media has been both tragic and unfortunate resulting to a skewed perception of crime by the community in now which civic life has gotten hectic . Civility has been undermined and trust almost impossible to build. Such is the demerit of negative popularization of Crime by the Media. This essay will attempt to lay bare, Facts and Perception of crime in The United States Of America.
General Perception Of crime
Mainstream media has been biased by exaggerating and popularizing crime. Channels that enjoy wider viewing have televised gothic movies. CSI, Criminal
Mind, Law And Order are just a few criminal movies which have enjoyed wider viewing. This has radically changed the public perception concerning crime.
In print media, crime coverage has claimed more than quarter of the newspaper print.
Unfortunately, many readers are getting clamored upon such lurid stories. The fact that the public has been bearing the brunt of persistent bombardment with information concerning crime has resulted into a general climate of fear. (Roberts1997)
Difference between Blue and White Collar Crime
Crimes are committed at different levels in the society. Such is the ' 'Blue and white collar ' ' crimes. The Blue collar tag originates from a 1920 coined phrase ' 'Blue collar ' '. This implies the Americans involved in manual and rather hard labor. Their duties may expose them to numerous stains, thus, preferably they engage in their duties in blue and black attires. These laborers may include Construction workers, Janitors, Millwrights amongst others.
Blue collar crime lacks a legal classification as a crime. It is an informal way of referring to crimes committed by people on the lower social class. Mostly the crimes involve those which may meet immediate and personal needs. The crimes lack proper planning. Such crimes may include robbery, burglary and drug abuse amongst
others.
According to Sumner and Wiley (2008),White collar crimes involves those that are committed by folks on the higher social class. These may involve Judges, Magistrates, Influential politicians and Multinational Companies Investors. The nature of their duties and tasks hinders them from being involved in personal crimes intended for immediate need, like robbery. White collar crimes are as Tax evasion, Fraud, Bribery amongst other such crimes.(Friedrichs, 2009)
Arising from extensive research, crime has been perceived to be on the decline in the western Society. This is a clear disapproval of the Western Media which has persistently fuelled the notion that the rate of real crime is on the rise. The public therefore needs proper sensitization to get to the factual realty about Crime existence and rise. The Media must up their game and demystify the hypothesis that the rate of real crime is on the rise.
The Private sectors, more so Security agencies must operate in tandem with the Federal Security Agencies. Often, the role of Private Security is to secure a specific interest, as opposed to Federal Agencies, whose interest is the general security, (Petterson, 1974). Capitalizing upon the misleading idea that the state of security is near crisis should be a historical thing of the past. Private Investigation companies are to put to act all Federal regulations. This will stabilize the confidence of the public on the Federal Security Agencies since they will be at par in their service provision, and devoid of biasness.
Law Enforcement in the United States;
This is the body tasked with the investigation of suspected criminal offences, determination of the cases and administration of justice. The Law Enforcement Agencies must always conduct their operations impartially. This will earn them the trust of the general public . Both Blue collar and white collar crime offenders must be subjected to fair trial, and appropriate administration of justice to follow thereafter.
Law enforcement works entirely through Federal police agencies. The law-enforcement tasks of these bodies are the investigation of suspects of criminal activity, referral of the outcomes of the findings to the law courts, and the brief detention of suspects of criminal acts pending judicial determinations. Law enforcement bodies, to some extent at various levels of the federal government and in different agencies, are also usually tasked with the responsibility of prevention of criminal acts and hindering the subsequent successful acts of crimes that are in progress. Other responsibilities may as well include the service and implementation of warrants, arrests, and other instructions of the law courts.
The Law enforcement bodies are also tasked with providing swift response to emergencies and other related insecurity to the general safety of the public, protection of various public facilities the maintenance of public law and order; the protection of public and government officials; and the operation of some prisons, juveniles and other correctional facilities.
Conclusion
Irrespective of whether a crime is Blue collar or White collar, the law enforcement agencies need to deal with them appropriately. The agency should be devoid of impartiality in order to win the confidence of the citizens and the public at large. The media must employ utmost ethic to demystify the false notion concerning the rise of real crime. Private Agencies providing Security services to various institutions must work in tandem with the Federal Agencies. This will result to efficient provision of security, swiftness in response to security threats and general public. The public must be properly sensitized to understand the real status of security.

References
Sumner, C. & Wiley, J (2008) Black Well Companion pg. 347
Friedrichs, D. (2009) Trusted Criminals; White collar Crime in Contemporary Society Roberts, J. V & Stalans, L.J (1997) Public Opinion, Crime and Criminal Justice

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