Describe media representations of crime
Newspapers
Newspapers represent crime on a daily basis and show numerous stories about stabbings and shootings.
Both local and national newspapers are devoted to spreading awareness of that crime. However,
newspapers represent certain crimes with exaggeration and false interpretations. For example, in august
2017 during the Barcelona terror attacks, the front pages of British newspapers were filled with dramatic
headlines such as “bloodbath” and “Barcelona Bastards”. The impact of this made false assumptions
towards certain religions and cultures and increased hate crime. The newspaper’s and tabloids would
often use very subjective remarks and usually will sensationalise or exaggerate the event. Reporting often
takes place in dramatic terms with a focus on the negative aspects. The newspapers use scaremongers
to make the public more frightened. This can be dangerous as it can create a moral panic which can
make the issue worse than it really is.
Television
Television plays a big role in the portrayal of crime by the media. In the 1950s about 1/10th of prime-time
television was crime related, however it has now increased with now ¼ being devoted to crime. Television
portrays factual and fictional representations of crime. Factual dramas are usually presented be very
detailed with lots of factual information, to try and indicate the seriousness of it all. For example, Little Boy
Blue was based on the murder of Rhys Jones and used dark and vague langauge to heighten the
importance of it. Whereas fictional shows would often glamourise crime with famous stars and
exaggeration of the crime, to the extent it’s almost seen as “normal”. However, there are still some shows
that show the importance of crime and the impact it can have, for example Law and order.
Films
Films also have a huge impact on the way people see crime. Films have also devoted themselves to be
factual and fictional and show the impact and advantages crime can have. For example, Suicide squad
showed that doing crime can be very dangerous and land you in prison, however it also heightened the
fact that there will always be some advanatges of commiting crime like getting money. Films have also
glamorized the idea of crime to be “amazing” and “spontaneous”, giving a bad idea that crime is the way
of life. However factual films portrayed crime to be corruptive. For example, the film The wolf of wall street
was about a stock broker who goes crazy about money and buys expensive cars and boats, only to end
up in jail at the end. It shows the downfalls of what crime can do.
Electronic gaming
Electronic gaming often represents the fictional side of crime. Many games are aimed at people 18 and
over due to the graphics of the game. Electronic gaming can be very dangerous as it suggests most of
the time that violence is acceptable. It also gives a false interpretation of crime. For example, stealing a
car is effortless and easy and you won’t face any consequences. It also exposes them to see murder,
prositution and stabbings, which is very normalised in games. Grand theft auto is one of those games,
where players have to steal cars, meet with prostitutes and kill people for game points in order to
succeed. Due to electronic gaming
Social media
Crime is often visible on social media, whereas it’s a reporting of a crime or hate crime. This means that
social media can raise awareness of crime as there is a large amount of people who use social media,
especially teen youths. They allow the public to be aware of crime in local areas, or allowing crime to be
Newspapers
Newspapers represent crime on a daily basis and show numerous stories about stabbings and shootings.
Both local and national newspapers are devoted to spreading awareness of that crime. However,
newspapers represent certain crimes with exaggeration and false interpretations. For example, in august
2017 during the Barcelona terror attacks, the front pages of British newspapers were filled with dramatic
headlines such as “bloodbath” and “Barcelona Bastards”. The impact of this made false assumptions
towards certain religions and cultures and increased hate crime. The newspaper’s and tabloids would
often use very subjective remarks and usually will sensationalise or exaggerate the event. Reporting often
takes place in dramatic terms with a focus on the negative aspects. The newspapers use scaremongers
to make the public more frightened. This can be dangerous as it can create a moral panic which can
make the issue worse than it really is.
Television
Television plays a big role in the portrayal of crime by the media. In the 1950s about 1/10th of prime-time
television was crime related, however it has now increased with now ¼ being devoted to crime. Television
portrays factual and fictional representations of crime. Factual dramas are usually presented be very
detailed with lots of factual information, to try and indicate the seriousness of it all. For example, Little Boy
Blue was based on the murder of Rhys Jones and used dark and vague langauge to heighten the
importance of it. Whereas fictional shows would often glamourise crime with famous stars and
exaggeration of the crime, to the extent it’s almost seen as “normal”. However, there are still some shows
that show the importance of crime and the impact it can have, for example Law and order.
Films
Films also have a huge impact on the way people see crime. Films have also devoted themselves to be
factual and fictional and show the impact and advantages crime can have. For example, Suicide squad
showed that doing crime can be very dangerous and land you in prison, however it also heightened the
fact that there will always be some advanatges of commiting crime like getting money. Films have also
glamorized the idea of crime to be “amazing” and “spontaneous”, giving a bad idea that crime is the way
of life. However factual films portrayed crime to be corruptive. For example, the film The wolf of wall street
was about a stock broker who goes crazy about money and buys expensive cars and boats, only to end
up in jail at the end. It shows the downfalls of what crime can do.
Electronic gaming
Electronic gaming often represents the fictional side of crime. Many games are aimed at people 18 and
over due to the graphics of the game. Electronic gaming can be very dangerous as it suggests most of
the time that violence is acceptable. It also gives a false interpretation of crime. For example, stealing a
car is effortless and easy and you won’t face any consequences. It also exposes them to see murder,
prositution and stabbings, which is very normalised in games. Grand theft auto is one of those games,
where players have to steal cars, meet with prostitutes and kill people for game points in order to
succeed. Due to electronic gaming
Social media
Crime is often visible on social media, whereas it’s a reporting of a crime or hate crime. This means that
social media can raise awareness of crime as there is a large amount of people who use social media,
especially teen youths. They allow the public to be aware of crime in local areas, or allowing crime to be
