Topic 2: Crime and the media

Media creation of crime

Many TV channels are devoted to crime, as well as newspapers filling their columns with stories on criminal and deviant behaviours. Fictional accounts of crime in the media are accused, particularly by feminists, of painting an inaccurate and sometimes glamorised view of crime, often against women. The media are often seen as using fear of crime as a way of selling stories or to manipulate political attitudes so they may demonise some groups, often the young, working class or members of black/minority ethnic groups. In this way, people develop views of crime that are at odds with the probable reality of crime as shown by statistical data of various crimes.

A number of studies show that British newspapers devote a huge amount of their column space to crime. Williams and Dickinson (1993) estimated 30% of newspapers coverage was of crime, as well as Ericson's (1991) study of Candian media which suggested 45-70% of new was based around crime.

A number of media commentators point out that the representation of criminals in fiction is often very misleading. Criminals are portrayed as cunning and clever or as leading exciting lives, whereas the…