Representation & Cause of Crime

• What percentage of news coverage in British newspapers is dedicated to crime and deviance?

  Up to 30%
• How do media representations of crime affect public perception?

  They shape perceptions of crime, criminals, and policing, presenting a distorted picture compared to official crime statistics.
• What percentage of media reports of crime are about violent or sexual crimes?

  46%
• What is the 'dramatic fallacy' in media crime reporting?

  It refers to the overplaying of extraordinary crimes like murder while underplaying ordinary crimes like criminal damage.
• How does media coverage of crime neglect wider structures and causes?

  Crime is reported as a series of separate events, ignoring broader social contexts.
• What type of crimes have seen an increase in media coverage since the 1960s?

  Sex crimes, drugs, child abuse, terrorism, football hooliganism, and mugging.
• What are some examples of news values that influence crime coverage?

  • Violence: Spectacular acts like terrorism
  • Dramatisation: Action and excitement, e.g., football hooliganism
  • Personalisation: Human interest stories, e.g., disappearance of Madeline McCann
  • Higher status: Coverage of high-status persons and celebrities
• What percentage of prime time TV is dedicated to crime shows or movies?

  25%
• What does Surette's law of opposites suggest about fictional representations of crime?

  Fictional representations often depict opposites of official crime statistics but are similar to news coverage.
• How do fictional representations of murder differ from real-life occurrences?

  Fictional murder often follows greed and calculation, while real-life murder often arises from brawls and domestic disputes.
• How do recent reality TV shows portray crime differently than traditional media?

  They show crime in a more realistic light, including non-white offenders and police being less successful.
• What social learning processes might lead the media to cause crime?

  Observing and imitating deviant role models, desensitization, arousal, teaching criminal techniques, and disinhibition.
• What did Belson (1978) find regarding boys who watched a lot of TV violence?

  They committed around 49% more violent acts than control groups.
• What did Bandura et al. (1963) conclude from their lab experiment on aggression?

  Children who saw aggression displayed more violent behavior than those who did not see the images.
• What is a criticism of social learning explanations regarding media violence?

  They are too deterministic and lack conclusive evidence linking media violence to violent behavior.
• How do left realists view the media's impact on relative deprivation?

  They argue that the media increase feelings of relative deprivation among marginalized groups by presenting unattainable consumer lifestyles.
• What do interactionists argue about left realist explanations of media and crime?

  They argue that left realist explanations ignore how the media socially construct crime through moral panics.
• How does the media create fear of crime among certain groups?

  By exaggerating the risks of victimization, particularly for young women and the elderly.
• What correlation did Gerbner et al. find regarding TV viewing and fear of crime?

  Those who watch more than 4 hours of TV a day have higher levels of fear of crime.
• What did Schlesinger & Tumbler (1992) find about tabloid readers and fear of crime?

  They found a correlation between tabloid readers and high users of TV and their fear of becoming a victim.
• What is a limitation of 'media effects' research regarding fear of crime?

  It ignores the meanings audiences give to media violence, leading to varied perceptions of risk.
• What does cultural criminology argue about crime in a media-saturated society?

  • Crime becomes a commodity that people desire.
  • Media encourages consumption of crime rather than producing it.
  • Blurs the line between image and reality of crime.
  • Crime is commodified in marketing, especially to youth.
• How do corporations use media images of crime in marketing?

  They use crime images to sell products, particularly to youth markets, combining criminality with consumerist success.
• What is an example of how crime is commodified in mainstream products?

  Fashion ads that feature themes of violence or rebellion, such as 'heroin chic' or sadomasochism.
• What is a consequence of wearing certain brands in public spaces like pubs and clubs?

  Some venues refuse entry to individuals wearing brands associated with crime, like hoodies or Stone Island.