SEVERITY AND REPRESSION IN PUBLIC OPINION - STUDY OF THE CONTENTS OF INFORMATION DIFFUSION BY A MASS CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER IN FRANCE

• NCJ Number: 20443
• Journal: DEVIANCE Issue: 1 Dated: (1974) Pages: 69-83
• Author(s): G MILLET
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Institut de Criminologie de Paris
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: French
• Country: France

Annotation

STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN NEWSPAPERS ON THE PUBLIC OPINION WITH REGARD TO QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR AND THE ADEQUACY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

Abstract

THE STUDY IS BASED ON A SURVEY OF ARTICLES APPEARING IN THE LARGEST FRENCH MORNING PAPER OVER A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT NEWSPAPERS NOT ONLY REPRESENT BUT TO A LARGE EXTENT CREATE THE OPINIONS OF THEIR READERS. STATISTICAL DATA USED FOR CRIME COMMENTARY ARE FREQUENTLY MISINTERPRETED OR NOT REPRESENTATIVE, ACCORDING TO THE AUTHOR. REPRESSION AND INCREASED SEVERITY ARE USUALLY PRESENTED AS THE ONLY ANSWER. THE AUTHOR POINTS OUT THE DANGER OF BASING VERDICTS AND CRIMINAL POLICIES ON PUBLIC OPINION. --IN FRENCH