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Criminology Unit 1 1.5 model answer
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This is a full mark model answer for WJEC criminology Unit 1 AC1.5
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1.5 - Explain the impact of media representations on the public perception of crime.Perception of crime refers to whether society and statistics believe that crime
levels are decreasing or increasing overtime. Different media outlets (such as film,
television and social media) have an impact on how the public perceives the severity or
frequency of a crime.
One example of how the media has impacted the public perception of crime is
how people believe there has been an increase in crime. This is reflected in the Crime
Survey of England and Wales where 72% of people believed that crime nationally had
increased. This may be due to media outlets, like newspapers, only focusing on violent or
sexual attacks. For example, online newspapers such as the BBC and Independent, have
designated slots on their website dedicated to sexual violence. These slots have hundreds
of articles about all crimes relating to sexual assault. This may influence the public into
believing there is an increase in this particular type of crime. This over-representation of
violent crimes, street robbery and sexual attacks in the media, lead people to believe that
these types of crime are extremely common. However, the most frequent crime in the UK
is petty theft. This misrepresentation creates a fear in society of becoming a victim.
Another way the media has impacted the public perception of crime is by
changing public concerns and attitudes. An example of this can be the belief that
children are at more of a risk by strangers, than those they know. Newspapers, Social
media and Crime News are all guilty of over-reporting crimes against children, such as
sexual exploitation and abduction by strangers. This prevents adults from letting their
children out unaccompanied. This idea is further represented in crime dramas, like Law
& Order SVU, where children are shown to be kidnapped or sexually abused by
psychopathic strangers. However, children are more likely to be abused by people they
know. Such as family members, family friends or teachers. The outcome of this change
in public concern and attitude is that children could possibly be at a greater risk of harm
as the public have the misconception of what endangers children.
One crime mentioned in the brief is moral crime. This is evident when miss G
began working as a prostitute in order to keep her financially stable. The media create a
huge stigma around sex workers. Although sexual violence is often mentioned in media
outlets, this is because they are victimsing the victim or displaying the offender as
psychopathic. However, when a moral crime is mentioned in the News, such as
prostituion, they do not reflect the same understanding. Prostitutes are represented as
criminals, and although they’re considered as low-risk victims, they would not be given
the same media coverage as a woman from a middle class background.
Another way the media can impact the public perception of crime is through a
Moral Panic. A Moral Panic is defined by Stanley Cohen as ‘an exaggerated, irrational
overreaction by society to a perceived problem’. A moral panic begins with the media
identifying a group or event as a problem. They then over-report all incidents
surrounding them creating the public to begin to dislike them. They impact the public’s
perception by doing three things: Exaggeration and distortion ; Prediction and
Symbolisation. A real life example of this is the Mods and Rockers. In 1964, the media
reported on a disturbance between two groups, the Mods and Rockers. However, they
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