Szczepan, Barbara (2024) The Impact of Crime Media on Peoples’ Perceptions of Crime, Perpetrators and Victims. Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.

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Abstract

This dissertation aims to analyse the potential negative impacts of crime-related media on viewers’ perceptions about crime, perpetrators, and victims. It will be completed using desk-based research as this is the most fitting and most practical method to answer the research question. Using desk-based research allows me to compare and contrast various perspectives on the same topic which will allow me to identify trends and patterns that will allow me to answer my research question. To conduct research for this dissertation I used Google Scholar, Scopus and EBSOhost as my main sources of literature. Initial searches of “crime media” found around 3 million results so I had to be more specific. Some of the search terms I used to utilise this search engine and database more efficiently included: “crime media AND ethics” (approx. 1.86 million results), “crime media AND fear” (approx. 1.7 million results), “crime media AND perpetrators” (approx. 270,000 results), “crime media AND police” (approx. 1.95 million results), “crime media AND race OR ethnicity” (approx. 870, 000), and “media AND ideal victims” (approx. 440,000 results). Where appropriate, I also used both the American English and UK English spellings of certain words (such as ‘sensationalization’ and ‘sensationalisation’, or ‘racialisation’ and ‘racialization’) to maximise the efficiency of my searches. Additionally, for the purposes of this dissertation I used some inclusion and exclusion criteria to narrow down my searches to best fit my research question. I included literature related to both fictional and non-fictional crime-related media; and media from various sources, including television, newspapers, and true crime podcasts and documentaries. When searching for literature I mainly limited myself to sources that were written within the last four decades. I also limited myself to literature written in English. While reviewing the existing literature I gathered to help me answer my research question, I highlighted and took a note of the main findings of each relevant paper. This allowed me to observe and keep track of common themes that emerge from the literature in relation to this topic. These included: sensationalism in relation to ethics; biased reporting; selective reporting that it at odds with official crime statistics; stereotyping; impacts related to police; impacts related to fear; differential treatment of minorities; and typifying legitimate victims. Biased reporting involved either the over-representation or underrepresentation of certain groups (Greer, 2007; Jewkes, 2015). Selective reporting involved the overrepresentation of certain types of crimes (Jewkes, 2015; Grosholz & Kubrin, 2007; Chermak, 1998; Greer, 2007), and victims and offenders (Grosholz & Kubrin, 2007); as well as a focus on newsworthiness to create stories most appealing to viewers (Dmitrieva, 2017; Greer, 2007). Stereotyping referred to stereotyping who criminals are (including racial stereotyping and the racialisation of crime (Colburn & Melander, 2018; Monk et al., 2007; Keating, 2002)) as well as stereotyping who victims are (Christie, 1986; Dukes & Gaither, 2017). Impacts relating to police involved more negative perceptions of police (Choi et al., 2020; Long, 2021); the impact of media on perceptions of police efficiency (Dowler, 2002) and legitimacy (Jewkes, 2015); and the link of perceptions of police to fear of crime (Choi et al., 2020). Impacts on fear of crime examined the extent to which this occurs (Greer, 2007; Grabe & Drew, 2007; Choi et al., 2020; Keating, 2002; Heath & Gilbert, 1996; Jewkes, 2015), including differences across racial/ethnic groups (Callanan, 2012; Dowler, 2002). It also examined whether media influences who one ‘should’ fear. Differential treatment of minorities examined the overrepresentation of minorities as offenders (Callanan, 2012; Colburn & Melander, 2018), as well as minority victims and offenders being treated or portrayed differently and more negatively (Dixon & Linz, 2002; Brennan & Vandenberg, 2009; Smiley & Fakunle, 2016; Long, 2021; Slakoff, 2018). The typification of legitimate victims focused on the perpetuation of Nils Christie’s (1986) construct of ‘ideal victims’ in media (Long, 2021; Greer, 2007), and how legitimate and illegitimate victims are treated differently (Slakoff, 2018; Lewis & Hamilton, 2021; DiBennardo, 2018). These themes will be further elaborated on and explored throughout this dissertation.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Additional Information:	A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA in Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Keywords:	impact; crime media; peoples perceptions; crime; perpetrators; victims; Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Law
Item ID:	19044
Depositing User:	IR eTheses
Date Deposited:	16 Oct 2024 10:52
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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