NCJ Number
222944
Journal
International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2007 Pages: 63-75
Date Published
January 2007
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper aims to examine the relationship between crime, the press and fear of crime, amount and sources of crime stories and pattern of crime news.
Abstract
This paper unveils some of the major lapses in crime reports in the print media. It becomes evident that the print media play vital roles in shaping public perception of risk-factors in criminality, crimes, stimulate public awareness, and impact on the criminal justice system. Therefore, the criminal justice system should be appraising current ideas in the field of crime reporting that would make crime reporting more beneficial to the victim, offenders, and the general public and policymakers. In addition, crime reports either directly or indirectly shape the image of the criminal justice system itself which greatly influences public trust in the justice system. For this reason, the debate on crime reporting needs to be advanced into the mainstream of legal, social, and political spheres. That the press sensationalizes crime stories, over reports violent crime stories like homicide in comparison to nonviolent stories, and that violent stories are usually reported disproportionately compared to their incidence in official crime statistics or victim surveys, and that sensational reporting of crime contributes to concern over crime among the public are points of concern. This stimulates fear of crime which is now being recognized as a distinct social problem and public issue. This paper examines the print media and the creation of fear of crime, amount and sources of crime in the print media, and patterns of crime reporting bringing out some core values. References