NCJ Number
152650
Date Published
Unknown
Length
138 pages
Annotation
In analyzing the historical conflict between the police and the news media, this paper examines the forces at work in each institution that generate this friction, as well as mutual needs that could bring the organizations together.
Abstract
The dissertation presents a history of police-press relations, explores issues of conflict, and reviews the literature. An analysis of the news media uses newspapers and television news to examine how they cover police-related investigations and other matters. A serial rape case in Suffolk County, New York, illustrates differences in views between police and the news media in terms of the timing and release of public information on criminal investigations, and explains how patterns of distrust remain despite the openness policies adopted by most metropolitan police agencies. Finally, the discussion focuses on police attitudes toward the media, as they are shaped by training, experience, and social interactions. Chapter notes, 70 references, and 4 appendixes