Flashcards on Crime and the Media (1.10)

Chris Greer and Robert Reiner reviewed studies of newspaper coverage of crime. What did they find had happened to crime coverage over recent decades?

What type of newspaper devotes a higher proportion of their space to crime coverage?

What percent of coverage of The Sun is devoted to crime, and how does this compare to The Guardian?

Greer and Reiner found that homicide is the most widely reported type of crime. How many crime reports detail instances of homicide?

Despite this, which sociologist found that only 40% of all homicides are reported on nationally?

Which two factors affect the likelihood of a crime being reported?

What four types of crime could be identified among the homicides that were reported?

What three types of victim could be identified among the homicides that were reported?

Which sociologist argues that media coverage of crime can be somewhat misleading?

In what ways are news reports of crime distorted?

Additionally, media coverage implies that serious violent and sexual crimes are much more common than they are. Which sociologist points out that, despite the media implying otherwise, homicide rates have actually dropped significantly over recent decades?

One of the most influential theories of why some stories are reported on and why some are not comes from pluralists. According to pluralists, what does media content reflect, and why?

Where can minority audiences be catered for?

In addition, parts of the media are funded through the licencing fee and are required to give balanced coverage of news events. What are these parts of the media known as?

Finally, pluralists believe new media has made the media even more diverse. Which sociologist points this out?

However, Jewkes argues that most crime coverage actually provides a homogenised version of reality that avoids controversy and preserves the status quo. What does this subsequently perpetuate?

The selection of news content is partially shaped by the idea of 'news values'. Jewkes argues that there are specific news values that apply to crime stories. Give examples:

Which two sociologists argue that reporting doesn't just convey 'facts', but actually manufactures them?

Robert Reiner illustrates this view by arguing that three main trends are evident in crime coverage. What are they?

According to Reiner, what do these trends reflect?

In the consumer-orientated capitalist society, everyone is seen as consuming as an individual, offending as an individual or being victimised as an individual. More collective aspects of social life get little media coverage. How does media coverage thus portray the existing social order?

This portrayal justifies the strict control of threats. What does media coverage essentially support?

There have been many suggestions about the potential effects of the media on crime. It is a common belief that the mass media is actually 'criminogenic'. What does this mean?

Chris Greer and Robert Reiner identify four possible criminogenic effects of the media. What are they?

How may the media increase the opportunity to offend?

How may the media result in the absence of controls?

How may the media teach potential offenders the means to commit crime?

How may the media contribute to the motives that may drive criminals to commit crime?

The four criminogenic effects of the media conform with which theory?

How does the social learning theory relate to media and crime?

There has ben a huge amount of research on whether the media directly causes offending. What model is much of this research based on?

What does the hypodermic-syringe model assume about behaviour?

What famous study conducted at Stamford University supports the hypodermic-syringe model?

Bandura et al have faced criticism. Why?

Some research does indeed show an association between a tendency to watch violent television media and the likelihood of being convicted of a violent offence. However, what does Tim Newburn point out?

Furthermore, Chris Greer and Robert Reiner argue that three other factors may influence whether there are effects from witnessing crime. Give examples:

Another significant problem with the belief that exposure to violence in the media has a direct effect on behaviour is the assumption that all members of the audience will interpret the message in the same way. Which sociologist points this out?

Most sociologist therefore argue that any effects of media coverage of violence are likely to interact with a wide range of other factors. As such, how can the hypodermic-syringe model be described?

In addition to directly causing crime, it can be argued that media coverage can cause a range of other effects. For example, there has been considerable research into the effects of the media in causing fear of crime. Arguably, what sort of fear of crime do the media cause?

Sociologists from which perspectives agree with the view that the media cause an exaggerated and irrational fear of crime?

Sociologists from which perspectives disagree with the view that the media cause an exaggerated and irrational fear of crime?

How does media coverage of crime make high levels of surveillance appear justified and, at times, even necessary?

How does media coverage interact with politics?

However, what is it very difficult to isolate the effect of crime coverage from?

The concept of moral panics neatly combines a number of issues relating to media effects. The belief that moral panics can be criminogenic is closely linked to what idea?

What is deviancy amplification?

Which sociologist first discussed moral panics and their relationship with the media when studying the mods and rockers in the 1960s?

Why did the media portray the two groups (mods and rockers) as folk devils, according to Cohen?

The concept of moral panics and their relationship with the media has been widely used in sociology. What is perhaps the best adaptation of Cohen's work?

The idea of moral panics has been criticised since it was established. Which two sociologists argue that the concept is now outdated and needs to be seen in the context of the development of the media and the growing sophistication of the audience?

The media effects discussed above are largely negative, but there are also a number of ways in which the media can have positive effects. Give examples: