Crime and media final, Matthew Robinson

As for the issues of gender, race, and social class

women were more likely to appear as problematic drug users, in spite of the fact that men are more likely to use drugs than women. Further, women's drug use "was also generally linked with sexual degradation and exploitation by men, whether through involvement in the sex trade or through trading drugs for sexual access." Drug addicted characters were most often white; this may be due to the audience who reads the comic books. Blacks and Latinos more commonly made up "background characters" as part of "an impoverished inner city landscape."33

Katherine Beckett and Theodore Sasson conclude that crime entertainment narratives promote three related messages:

• Most offenders are professional criminals; • Community safety is threatened by judges and defense attorneys who are too much concerned with offenders' rights • Criminal justice personnel are out there every day, fighting the war on crime.

war as a game

"the media paradigm by which we understand war is increasingly the video game. War is now a consumer commodity and video game players (gamers) can even take part in the war on terror in games." These games have received enormous attention from parents and violence-prevention organizations over concern that playing these games may increase violence in those who play them. Given the research reviewed in Chapter 4, this seems like a legitimate concern.

THE PREVALENCE OF CRIME AND JUSTICE ON TELEVISION

As a result of the blurring of the line between news and entertainment, it became more difficult for media consumers to identify what was news and what was entertainment. Infotainment is now the most popular format of crime television. Cop and pop are becoming synonymy

CSI

Aside from the interest it has generated in criminal justice and forensics among college and university students,121 it has created the illusion in citizens that "science and the police are virtually infallible."

Center for Media & Public Affairs: RATES OF VIOLENCE: Based on type of media

Broadcast TV series - 18 per hour Movies in theaters - 15 per hour Music videos - 15 per hour Cable TV series - 9 per hour TV movies - 7 per hour

48 Hours Mystery

CBS in 1986 started serious and against the "crack cocaine epidemic" of the 1980's This show is another good example of crime and justice on television now because it also depicts how the mainstream media use crime to attract audiences. In the case of CBS' 48 Hours Mystery, viewers are shown "real events" after they have occurred in a format meant to entertain and thus hold viewers. Further, this show is always focused on the crime of murder, which is the rarest of all crimes in any given year

comics book and the superhero

Comic books are history. Emerging from the shifting interaction of politics, culture, audience tastes, and the economics of publishing, comic books have helped to frame a worldview and define a sense of self for the generations who have grown up with them." since the 1930s the mythos of comic book superheroes has pervaded adolescents' sense of crime, justice and order. Whether it was through the weekly dose of comic book reading or, more contemporarily, through television and movie viewing, youths in America have been fixated on 'superheroes' and their battles for justice: good vs. evil, right vs. wrong.

Law & Order introduction breakdown

Divided into two equal parts the first focusing on crime and investigation by the police the second on prosecution of accused

Law & Order

First aired in 1990 Longest running crime series and second longest running drama series in history of TV Features stories "ripped from the headlines"

lockup

For example, episodes focus on weapons in prisons, gangs in prisons, dealing with boredom in prisons, juveniles in prison and so forth. Although everything on the show is real, one study of the show found that it tends to show the "extreme institutions and the most violent inmates" which ultimately justifies mass imprisonment policies.

Law & Order: Studies of the shows find:

Juveniles depicted as violent and murderers Most offenders are male and white Children offenders mostly poor or middle-class Black offenders shown as impoverished, financially motivated, and drug-addicted Major motivations are financial/rational, emotional, and psychological Mentally ill over-represented (7% claim "not guilty by reason of insanity") Only about half of SVU episodes deal with sex crimes Many SVU episodes deal with murders of white males Most victims (60%) are dead by end of show Most offenders are known to the victims Half of victims are under age of 18 Two-thirds of victims are white (black female victims almost completely absent from show) Women over-represented as offenders (33%) Women shown as particularly cruel and violent More than 90% of offenders are convicted Regularly features civil rights violations by the police (e.g., excessive use of force) About 98% of CJ officials are white Murders by guns underrepresented and murder by knives and hands overrepresented

Major lessons for entertainment

Media generally ignore law-making, with the exception of some highly publicized crimes that lead to new laws. Most crime is ignored by the press; random, heinous, violent crimes committed by some types of offenders against certain types of victims are more likely to be featured. Media rely heavily on official sources for information about crime, police, courts, and corrections, thereby limiting the breadth of issues explored and reinforcing status quo approaches to addressing crime. Media coverage of criminal justice agencies is highly inaccurate, thereby reinforcing major misconceptions about criminal justice practice. There are major similarities in entertainment and infotainment coverage of these issues. But entertainment and infotainment media are less accurate, owing in part to the fact that their main goal is to entertain rather than to inform.

Law & Order: Led to spin-offs including

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU) Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Trial by Jury Law & Order: Los Angeles Law & Order: UK

nypd blue

NYPD Blue and 24 from Law & Order. The authors explain the significance of their study: "While these programs are fictional, they frequently borrow and sensationalize story lines from newspaper and television news headlines across the country. This blurring of fiction and reality may influence viewers' perceptions of the criminal justice system and criminal justice problems in the United States."

Crime on TV

Popular since 1970s ... widely popular shows about crime and criminal justice for more than 4 decades! Dominant form of justice shown is retributive justice or "justice as an outcome" holding the guilty responsible for their crimes, consistent with the Crime Control Model of justice

Center for Media & Public Affairs

Researchers identified 8,350 scenes of violence including 4,204 scenes of serious violence (i.e., murder, rape, kidnapping and assault) in the 100 movies, 284 episodes of television series and 189 music videos they studied.

Prison in film

Robert Freeman analyzes Hollywood portrayals of prisons and identifies two major stereotypes that dominate: the "smug hack" and "country club." The "smug hack" stereotype is much more common and features the tyrannical correctional employee. The "country club" stereotype is less common but portrays inmates living comfortable lives with numerous luxuries. Neither of these depictions is realistic. The nature of confinement - These are films focused on life inside correctional institutions. Inmates are shown as victims of injustice up against corrupt and/or brutal correctional facilities. An example of a film in the genre is The Big House. The pursuit of justice - These are films focused on guilty offenders deservedly locked up. Inmates are not victims of injustice but rather deserve punishment. An example of a film in the genre is The Birdman of Alcatraz. Authority and control - These are films focused on offenders who may or may not be guilty but who are locked up for relatively minor offenses and/or for butting up against powerful interests. Inmates are showing struggling against typically unjustified correctional authority and control figures. An example of a film in the genre is Cool Hand Luke. Freedom and release - These are often films about the future where prisons are extremely violent and unable to rehabilitate offenders. Inmates are humanized and shown as struggling to survive or escape. An example of a film in the genre is Escape from New York

the practice

The authors conclude: "The findings suggest that murder is presented fairly accurately such that viewers should come away with a basic understanding of the nature and circumstances surrounding murder, although they are likely to be somewhat misled that violence is common."

ways around the exclusionary rule include:

Searches incident to lawful arrests: Police may search the area within the immediate control of the suspect upon arresting him or her. Searches with consent: Police may search any area that is voluntarily consented to by citizens. The plain view doctrine: Evidence in plain view of the police may be seized without a warrant. The plain touch doctrine: Evidence that is felt by the police while they are legally searching a person or place may be seized without a warrant. The good faith exception: If it can be determined that the police officer was acting in good faith that a warrant was valid even though it is not, then seized evidence can still be used against the accused. Inevitable discovery: Police can use illegally seized evidence against a suspect if they can demonstrate that the evidence would have ultimately been discovered by lawful means. Exigent circumstances: During emergencies, police may find evidence that can ultimately be used against a citizen.

Overemphasize violence

Studies of entertainment and infotainment shows have consistently found that they tend to overemphasize violent crime

Cops

The show COPS thus creates the perception that police officers are effective, controlled, non-corrupt, and fair, and that police generally solve crimes which tend to be overwhelmingly violent in nature.

OZ

The show was unique not only for the style of how stories were presented, but also because of the types of issues depicted on the show (e.g., bad language, violence and rape, drug use, homosexuality). Episodes focused on the nature of crimes for which inmates were incarcerated, as well as their struggles to live life behind bars. Common themes focused on gang activity, violence in the prison, retribution and revenge, plots to attack staff and escape from the facility.

court TV

These media programs tend to focus on the most uncommon crimes (e.g., homicide) and the rare events (e.g., trials). The infotainment media portrayals of courts will necessarily be different than factual, objective accounts of court activity, for their goal is to entertain not inform. As such portrayals of courts in these media tend to be brief, time-limited, dramatic, and focused on elements such as random violence, sex, and cases involving celebrities.

two examples of crime and justice on tv

To catch a predator, 48 hour mystery

Film: A study by Wes Shipley and Gray Cavender analyzed the five top-grossing films in a one year period over each of the past four decades (i.e., 1964, 1974, 1984, and 1994).

Violence generally increased across the four decades. 1964: 144 violent acts (29 acts per film) 1974: 168 violent acts (34 acts per film) 1984: 307 violent acts (61 acts per film) 1994: 223 violent acts (45 acts per film) 1964: 41 deaths (8 deaths per film) 1974: 44 deaths (9 deaths per film) 1984: 38 deaths (8 deaths per film) 1994: 76 deaths (15 deaths per film). Graphic violence and graphic death also rose. Acts of graphic violence from 1964: 2 1974: 12 1984: 16 1994: 64 Acts of graphics deaths increased from 1964: 0 1974: 6 1984: 10 1994: 47

Center for Media & Public Affairs: Tends to be what?

Violence in these forms of media tends to be "value free." is used by both heroes and villains rarely causes physical or emotional harm rarely leads to any condemnation or punishment sometimes depicted as laudable and even necessary

police in fim

cop genre is typically portrayed in three acts; the first introduces the major players; the second shows the plot highlighted by conflict, and the third shows the resolution to the conflict, achieved through violence. According to Robert Schehr, the final act is the "hero's redemption." This is when the hero "systematically eliminates the villain and his cohorts, each of whom suffers a unique and excessively violent death."

peoples court

daily features courtroom television. Yet, this is small-claims civil court rather than criminal court and litigants in the cases agree to have the cases broadcast on television. Other popular shows on network and cable television include Judge Judy and Judge Joe Brown among many others.

TO CATCH A PREDATOR

first aired 2004 NBC newmagazine on dateline started out serious and then became cheap and easier In the case of NBC's To Catch a Predator, viewers are shown "real events" as they occur in a format meant to entertain and thus hold viewers. Aside from increased awareness of "sexual predators" (which appear to be everywhere according to the show) and fear of crime (especially with those with young children)

violence across media

have not all increased equally gangsta rap music (1987-1993) scores a 22 percent while Eminem (2000) reaches 78 percent

music

much of the dominant music in the world comes from America or owes itself to genres largely creates in the US and originally broadcast worldwide via MTV Music videos on MTV in 1998-1999 averaged 4 violent scenes, including 1 serious • Music videos - 15 per hour There are musicians that sing about violence and there are some that do not like bob Marley

true crime

refers to books about crime that "look like crime fiction. If one goes into a chain bookstore today, one will find a large section of books called 'crime' and a much smaller one called 'true crime" Essentially, the true crime genre in books can be seen as infotainment TV (e.g., 48 Hours Mystery) for people who like to read rather than watch.

Nightbeat

s a result of such depictions of drug users, "the drug crisis came to be defined as a black, urban problem-even though white drug use continued to predominate. The official televisual icon of the war on drugs became the young, black, street-dealer 'thug.'"88 Other research documents the stereotypical portrayals of blacks in television shows such as COPS.