3.1.4 The Media and Crime

• Crime-related TV shows and movies can glamorize criminal behavior
• The media's portrayal of crime always aligns with actual crime statistics and patterns.

  False
• The media's portrayal of crime always reflects the true prevalence of criminal activity.

  False
• Match the reason for fear of crime with its impact:

  Sensationalism ↔️ Exaggerates the frequency and severity of crimes

  Lack of context ↔️ Prevents accurate assessment of crime risk

  Repetition ↔️ Increases the public's sense of vulnerability
• What is the relationship between media coverage and fear of crime, even if actual crime rates are declining?

  Media heightens public fear
• What impact does repeated exposure to crime-related news have on public perception?

  Increases fear of victimization
• The media's portrayal and interpretation of issues is known as framing
• The various channels of communication that reach a large audience are collectively known as the media
• What is the media's role in fueling moral panics related to crime?

  Exaggerates public concern
• The media's focus on sensational violence provides an accurate depiction of crime rates.

  False
• The association of crime with specific social groups perpetuates prejudice.


  True
• Sensationalism in crime reporting exaggerates the severity and frequency of crimes.


  True
• Key mechanisms through which media influences criminal justice reform

  1️⃣ Agenda-setting

  2️⃣ Framing

  3️⃣ Moral panics

  4️⃣ Public opinion
• Match the case study with its impact on public attitudes:

  The Central Park Five ↔️ Moral panics and biased perceptions

  The "Crack Epidemic" ↔️ Distorted public perception of urban minority communities

  Mass Shootings ↔️ Exaggerated public fear of violence
• Media coverage of mass shootings often exaggerates public fear of such events
• The media often focuses on common, non-violent crimes to provide an accurate view of societal crime levels.

  False
• The media can sometimes fuel moral panics
• What can reliance on media stereotypes lead to in society?

  Stigmatization
• What type of violence does the media tend to highlight in crime reporting?

  Sensational violence
• What does repeated exposure to crime-related news and stories heighten in the public?

  Perception of risk
• The media's portrayal of crime always aligns with actual crime trends.

  False
• Media reports always provide sufficient context and statistics to help the public understand crime.

  False
• How does the media's agenda-setting influence public policy?

  Prioritizes certain issues
• Why is the media considered a key force in driving criminal justice policy and reform?

  Defines problems, shapes narratives
• Media dramatization of crime always reflects real crime statistics accurately.

  False
• How does the media's association stereotype perpetuate prejudice in crime portrayals?

  Links crime to social groups
• The media's reliance on stereotypes when depicting criminals can lead to biased perceptions and stigmatization
• The media's coverage of crime can increase the public's fear of crime, even if actual crime rates are declining
• Repeated exposure to crime-related news can heighten public perception of the risk of victimization
• The media's power to define problems and shape narratives makes it a key force in driving criminal justice policy
• What was the impact of the media's coverage of the "Crack Epidemic"?

  Harsh, punitive drug policies
• The media can have a significant impact on how the public perceives crime
• What can extensive media coverage of crime lead to, even if crime rates are declining?

  Fear of crime
• The media frequently uses stereotypes to depict criminals and crime
• Media stereotypes often associate crime with specific social groups
• Media reports often fail to provide sufficient context
• The media often focuses on reporting sensational, violent, or unusual crimes, which creates a distorted view of the prevalence
• Order the key mechanisms through which media influences public policy and criminal justice reform.

  1️⃣ Agenda-setting

  2️⃣ Framing

  3️⃣ Moral panics

  4️⃣ Public opinion
• Moral panics, fueled by the media, always lead to evidence-based policy changes.

  False
• How does the media's crime reporting influence public perception?

  Creates distorted views