While crime rates in the United States have been falling gradually since their 1990s high point, the public’s fear of crime has been increasing. The media’s extensive use of tales of crime and punishment contributes to this discrepancy, which is more nuanced than it first looks. This essay will show how the general population in the United States has developed an irrational fear of crime and will analyze the consequences of this phenomenon.
Information Distortion
The media tends to distort facts and figures to suit their narrative. For example, they may cherry-pick statistics to present a particular viewpoint or exaggerate the severity of the crime (Schildkraut and Donley, 2012). These distorted facts can lead to a false perception of crime, creating an atmosphere of fear and mistrust. Furthermore, news organizations may focus on a particular crime or criminal activity, thus creating an unbalanced perspective. For instance, they might focus on violent crimes while ignoring the prevalence of non-violent crime, creating the impression that society is more dangerous than it is (Schildkraut & Donley, 2012)
The media has played a critical role in how the public perceives crime. News coverage has helped shape the public’s opinion of what is deemed “newsworthy” when it comes to crime (Schildkraut & Donley, 2012). Crime coverage is often disproportionate, with violent crimes like murder receiving the most attention. High-amplitude cases that deviate from the norm are also given prominent coverage. As the media has such a powerful influence on public opinion and policy decisions, it is crucial to consider the implications of crime news when assessing crime trends and the effectiveness of crime policy.
The media has dramatically impacted the public’s understanding of crime. It is helped foster a narrative in which murder and other acts of violence receive disproportionate coverage. The media’s coverage has influenced public opinion and subsequent policy choices. The media’s emphasis on outliers, or cases with a high amplitude, can give an inaccurate impression of crime’s occurrence. The public’s perception of crime and the efficacy of current strategies to combat this narrative have distorted it (Schildkraut & Donley, 2012).
Crime reporting in the media has far-reaching effects. The media has shaped public opinion and influenced policy decisions by creating a false narrative. This has exacerbated the public’s fear of crime and led to an overemphasis on punitive measures instead of preventative measures. Furthermore, by focusing on sensationalized cases, the media has obscured the true nature of the crime, creating an inaccurate picture of the current crime landscape (Aditjondro, 1993).
Selection Bias
The media often focuses on the most sensational crimes, giving the public a skewed impression of how common criminal activity is. Selection bias might give an inaccurate picture of criminal behavior and its consequences (Wong & Harraway, 2020). A news outlet may, for instance, zero emphases on crimes and hotspots that are more likely to elicit a reaction from readers. This may give the impression of widespread crime when this is not the case (Wong & Harraway, 2020).
Crime reports are often blown out of proportion by the media. An exaggerated perception of risk and a widespread fear that the world is getting more dangerous are possible outcomes. This is especially true of stories that involve violence and brutality, which tend to attract more readers. Schildkraut and Donley (2012) found that a misleading impression of crime and punishment may result from sensationalism, fostering an environment of dread and mistrust.
Sensationalism
Media sensationalism has a long and storied history, spanning multiple periods and cultures. There is a rise in the use of sensationalism in the media because of the increased competition for audiences, viewers, and advertising dollars (Wong & Harraway, 2020). Sensationalists often exaggerate or embellish the facts to gain more readers and viewers. Gossip and embellished oral histories have paved the way, as has the printed press, both of which relied on elongating stories with sensational details to capture readers’ attention. People’s reception and understanding of news have been influenced by sensationalism in pursuing higher ratings and advertising revenue (Wong & Harraway,2020).
Moral Panics
The spread of false information through the media can sometimes spark moral panics (Bowman, 2015). For example, this would be the case if the public viewed a particular crime, or a category of crimes, as an indication of the breakdown of society as a whole. Because of this, people may incorrectly assume that crime is more common than it is, making them feel unsafe. As a corollary, it can cause people to place too much stock on punishment, with an eye toward vengeance rather than reform. Finally, political incentives can also affect the media’s coverage of crime and punishment. To win over voters, a political party could promote the idea that harsh penalties are necessary. According to Bowan, overemphasis on punishment and the resulting climate of fear and mistrust might result.
The emergence and expansion of organized crime control in the United States can be traced partly to moral panics (Bowman, 2015). People have resorted to extreme measures to defend themselves from what they believe to be an alien and intangible enemy: a collapse in morality. Reverend Lyman Beecher voiced these concerns in his 1812 sermons, which urged forming a system of volunteer moral-control clubs across the country. As a result, reformers were able to pass legislation restricting things like gambling and prostitution. However, without constant policing, business owners could form bookmaking, lottery, and insurance syndicates and operate brothels, paving the way for the rise of organized crime. Bowan also argues that the rise of organized crime control was aided by the xenophobic ideas underpinning the idea of an American “underworld.
Folk Devils
The media’s portrayal of folk devils has significantly influenced crime. Through the constant, often sensationalized depiction of certain groups in negative ways, the media can lead people to think that these groups are dangerous and to be avoided (Levi, 2009). This can lead to increased stigma and discrimination, leading to more crime. For example, the media’s depiction of gang members may lead to people avoiding specific neighborhoods and increasing their fear of crime.
Political Incentives
Keeping the public informed on political matters is a crucial function of the media. It can sway people’s opinions and actions, which could affect people’s view of crime (Larreguy & Marshall, 2019). Crime coverage has been skewed by the media’s partisan motivations, which have had far-reaching effects on public opinion. The media has long been a potent force in molding public opinion, and nowhere is this more evident than in discussions of crime (Larreguy & Marshall, 2019). The media can shape public opinion on crime, punishment, and the criminal justice system by sensationalizing and generalizing specific situations. The media’s use of visuals while reporting crimes demonstrates their political biases. News organizations are notorious for hastily publishing suspect or victim images and focusing on the most sensational details of a case.
This can give an erroneous impression of crime because it highlights the worst crimes while downplaying the typical ones. In addition, the public typically calls for stronger criminal justice laws after hearing them discussed in the media, which is motivated by political considerations. The media tends to highlight the worst crimes, including murder and rape, to point out how ineffective the criminal justice system is. As a result, the public may demand stricter penalties and more forceful police, even if such actions are not warranted (Larreguy & Marshall, 2019).
Economic Agendas
The media has long been known to influence public opinion, and in turn, the economic agenda can be seen in how the public perceives crime (Anderson, 2009). With the rise of major news outlets, the public has access to a wide range of information on crime, which can shape their opinions on various criminal issues. The media has sensationalized and sometimes even fabricated crime stories to increase viewers or readership, leading to a distorted view of crime. This distorted view can then shape the public’s opinion on the economic agenda, as they become more likely to support tough policies on crime (Anderson, 2009)
Punitive measures, like longer prison sentences, may become more common because they are the most effective approach to combat crime. The media can sway economic policies like taxation and welfare by portraying particular groups in an unfavorable light in order to gain popular support. As a result of the media’s portrayal of these communities as parasites on the government, there may be less support for initiatives that are regarded as helping them. Last but not least, the media’s portrayal of crime has affected the economic agenda by shaping public opinion on various criminal issues. Because of this, there has been a rise in punitive measures and a fall in the approval of programs generally considered suitable for society. According to Anderson, the consequences of the media’s presentation of crime and the economic agenda should be considered, given the medium’s pervasive influence on public opinion.
Conclusion
After considering the many channels via which the media has affected public perception of crime, it is abundantly evident that it significantly impacts the topic. The media has a major influence in molding the public’s perception of crime through a variety of channels, including but not limited to information distortion, selection bias, moral panic, political incentives, and economic objectives. This fundamentally alters the way we as a society deal with criminals. It is more crucial than ever to be aware of how the media influences crime and criminal justice laws since it continues to be a potent force in public discourse.
References
Schildkraut, J., & Donley, A. M. (2012). Murder in black: A media distortion analysis of homicides in Baltimore in 2010. Homicide Studies, 16(2), 175-196. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1088767912438712
Wong, J. S., & Harraway, V. (2020). The media presentation of homicide: examining characteristics of sensationalism and fear of victimization and their relation to newspaper article prominence. Homicide Studies, 24(4), 333-352. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1088767919896391
Larreguy, H., & Marshall, J. (2019). The incentives and effects of independent and government-controlled media in the developing world. In The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Persuasion. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/jmarshall/files/media_and_persuasion_chapter_-_final_0.pdf
Aditjondro, G. J. (1993). The media as development” textbook”: A case study on information distortion in the debate about the social impact of an Indonesian dam. Cornell University. https://search.proquest.com/openview/5952feb6ffe696e820b5546efa0f78ca/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Bowman, N. D. (2015). The rise (and refinement) of moral panic. In The Video Game Debate (pp. 22-38). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315736495-2/rise-refinement-moral-panic-nicholas-bowman
Anderson, A. (2009). Media, politics and climate change: Towards a new research agenda. Sociology compass, 3(2), 166-182. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1751-9020.2008.00188.x
Levi, M. (2009). Suite revenge? The shaping of folk devils and moral panics about white-collar crimes. The British Journal of Criminology, 49(1), 48-67. https://academic.oup.com/bjc/article-abstract/49/1/48/375838
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