We frequently discuss crime in novels, television programs, magazines, newspapers, and casual conversations
The criminal justice system and the edifice of crime both rely heavily on the mass media. The way deviants, criminals, victims, and law enforcement personnel are depicted in the media greatly influences how the public views them. (Mutz & Nir, 2010). In actuality, the press is the source of the public's understanding of crime and justice. Therefore, it is crucial to consider how the media affects people's perceptions of crime and justice.
Determining the effects of media on the perception of law enforcement
Determining the effects of media, printed and social, on the perception of law enforcement revolves around two crucial problems: Whether reporting of sensational and violent criminality generate fear among the overall public and if this worry influence the insight of the people on criminal justice policy? There are diverse results concerning the impact of the news displayed on media platforms on the way law enforcement is perceived by the general public. Studies hypothesize that significant viewing of violence on television creates fear rather than aggression(Hipp, 2010). People who watch an outsized quantity of crime incidences on social media and TV are more seemingly to feel a significant threat from crime (Sullivan, 2014). They believe law-breaking is more prevalent than as indicated by statistics hence they take additional precautions against delinquency. They notice that offense delineated on media is considerably more dangerous, violent, and random than crime within the real world. The researchers argue that viewers impute these pictures and develop a "mean world view" or an alarming image of reality. This depiction is characterized by alienation, mistrust, suspicion, and perceptions of pronounced levels of crime in the society(Colbran, 2014). Furthermore, the link between fear and watching of criminal videos indicate a right away and healthy relationship. Conversely, there is a definite association between TV viewing and social media videos and worry of crime, distrust, and alienation. However, multiple regression studies fail to support the hypothesis that TV viewing involves a direct, substantial impact on fear of crime.
Public perception and attitudes towards criminal justice policy
Researchers argue that public worry and anxiety is inextricably connected with public pressure for solutions to crime issues. A variety of analysis studies concentrate on whether or not media depictions of crime influence public attitudes towards criminal justice policy. They notice that shows of crime news increase public pressure for simpler policing and additional retributory responses to crime claims that the print media feature agents of crime management as negatively ineffective and incompetent which ends in support for other police, more prisons, and extra money for the criminal justice system (Colbran, 2014). Crime show viewing is expounded to high levels of aggression towards those that break the law, and low levels against those that defend it. Also, the fear of victimization supported real-world experiences does not have a mediating result on the relationship. Moreover, frequent viewing and substantial enjoyment of reality-based crime shows are related to holding punitive attitudes. However, regular watching and more much entertainment of fictional crime shows do not seem to be connecting to carrying retributory perception.
Police portrayal in the media
Police are agents of law enforcement, and their presentations are usually dramatized and over-dramatized by fictional crime shows on social media whereas the news media portray the cops as heroic, skilled crime fighters (Hipp, 2010). In TV crime dramas, the bulk of crimes are resolved, and criminal suspects are with success appreciated. Similarly, news accounts tend to exaggerate the proportion of offenses that lead to an arrest that comes to a picture that police are simpler than official statistics demonstrate. The favorable depiction of policing is partially a consequence of police’s PR strategy. News of proactive police activity creates a picture of the police as experienced and economic investigators of crime. Subsequently, a positive police portrayal reinforces ancient approaches to law and order that involves redoubled police presence, harsher penalties, and increasing police power(Mutz & Nir, 2010). Additionally, a variety of researchers counsel that a dependent relationship exists between fourth estate personnel and therefore the police. It is thus essential that the police and consequently the media have interaction during the interdependent relationship.
The portrayal of police in the media
The media wants the police to produce them with fast, reliable sources of crime data, whereas the police have an absolute interest in maintaining a positive public image. However, different researchers argue that the police are not entirely pictured within the news media. For instance, docu-dramas and news tabloid programs represent the police as heroes that fight evil. Nevertheless, print and broadcast news personify the police as ineffective and incompetent. Likewise, the overall public evaluates police performance more favorably compared with courts and correction(Sullivan, 2014). However, the media provides very little data to gauge police which the press concentrate on negative criticism instead of positive or successful crime hindrance efforts. In essence, most media crime is penalized; however, policemen are seldom the heroes.
The impact of media on the perception of law enforcement
In conclusion, media have an enormous impact on the perception of law reinforcement. Regular viewers of crime shows are probably to concern crime. Though statistically vital, the strength of this finding is insignificant. There are various styles of crime shows which will concentrate on entirely different aspects of the criminal justice system. For instance, crime shows might focus on police, courts, non-public investigators, defense lawyers and typically even the criminals. Additionally, some dramas are more realistic, whereas others habitually portray violence, and systematically inform viewers regarding the character of the criminal justice system and guiltiness. It might be prudent to understand the perception of the public towards the law enforcement process as perceived from information on media and the way police handle matters of crime. Evidently, social platforms such as Facebook, and WhatsApp, as well as the news media, are crucial in the way the public perceive law enforcement. There is a need for the platforms especially the social media to be reformed to portray the right information.
References
Colbran, M. (2014). Media Representations of Police and Crime: Shaping the Police Television Drama. Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Covey, R. (2013). Police misconduct as a cause of wrongful convictions. Washington University Law Review, 90(4), pp.1133-1189.
Hipp, J. (2010). Resident perceptions of crime and disorder: How much is bias, and how much is social environment differences? Criminology, 48(2), pp. 475-508.
Mutz, D. C., & Nir, L. (2010). Not necessarily the news: Does fictional television influence real -world policy preferences? Mass Communication and Society, 13(2), pp.196–217.
Sullivan, G. (2014). How Facebook and Twitter control what you see about Ferguson. Retrieved Oct. 23, 2017 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morningmix/wp/2014/08/19/howfacebook-and- twitter-control-what-you-see-about-ferguson/
