Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess sociological explanations of the role of the mass media in creating moral panics about crime and deviance. (21 marks)

?
  • Created by: vikki3092
  • Created on: 24-05-16 12:47

It is often argued that the media often exaggerate stories in order to create one that is ‘’newsworthy’’. As the media is often our only source of knowledge about crime (Item A), by exaggerating stories a sense of anxiety is created amongst the public over a certain group which then evolves into a moral panic.

 Cohen studied how the media affected the Mods and Rockers conflict in the 60’s. The reports claimed that clearly identifiable groups of Mods and Rockers had gone to Clacton with the intent to cause trouble. These reports caused youths to polarise and created tension between them. The newspapers also predicted incidents of violence and then paid certain youths to start fights between the Mods and the Rockers. In anticipation, law enforcement (Item A) were sensitised and over reacted to the slightest sign of trouble. This caused many youths to be arrested for minor offences and sentenced. Due to this, crime statistics reflected a rise in crime. This shows how by creating

Comments

No comments have yet been made