Criminology Unit 1 AC 1.4 - Describe media representation (fictional and factual) of crime
Types of media
Newspaper - Newspapers write a large number of stories on very vicious crimes, like stabbings,
terrorism and shootings. Newspapers have very big headings usually in bold with dramatic and
exaggerated information, focusing mainly on the negative aspects. For instance the Evening
Standards head page was titled ‘shocking rise in knife crime’, which creates a moral panic, the
newspapers use scaremonger to bring the fear into them. This then illustares the police as
incompetent as more and more young people are becoming criminals. When a major incident
occurs the front page and many sections inside contain the latest pictures and reports, making
the whole event seem more extravagant than what it really is. This has led 43% of tabloid
readers believing that violent crime has risen significantly, this is due to newspapers over
reporting violent crimes while not reporting small crimes like vandalism. The sun and daily mail
both identify criminals as minorities with mental health issues who commit extreme crimes. They
stereotype foreigners and teenagers as aggressive criminals.
Television - In some TV programmes for instance nothing to declare (which is non fiction) police
are the heroes and the suspects are seen as desperate. Crime is now in one quarter of all tv
shows. Non fiction shows are based factionally with little exaggeration to highlight the
seriousness of what has occurred and to inform people of the true facts. Non fiction shows are
not glorified, they deliver the true picture with the real life punishments. However, fictional shows
glamourise crime, they tend to have the perpetrator as a ‘God’ type figure, and the police as the
bad guys. Which could impact the way one thinks about either the police or the criminal, if it
shows the police as the bad guys, people may take that idea out with them in the real world.
Which will have a negative effect on society as police are here to help they should not be seen
as the enemy. Peaky blinders which is a fictional show based on crime, creates this idea that in
order to survive and live a nice life the characters must make criminal acts.
Film - Around 20% of all movies are crime movies, and around half of all movies have significant
crime content. Films can cover both non fiction real life crimes and fictional ones. Films have a
huge impact on the way people see crimes and the facts and fictions surrounding them. The
movie Straight Outta Compton is based on real true events and focuses on how the police
treated minorities, especially the black community back in the 1980s. This movie portrays the
police as bullies who are brutal and racist, purley towards colored people, for nothing other than
the color of their skin. The movie was done by interviewing with the original members of the
group which gathered stories to create this movie. A fictional movie, Suicide Squad is comprised
of the universes deadliest villians, whom of which are all glofied in the movie. As they go around
committing crime after crime they are being rewarded with 10 years off their sentence as well
being seen as heroic to the audience watching. This therefore shows the positive images of
crime and all the benefits that may or may not come along.
Electronic gaming - Gaming tends to show us the fictional side of crime which is usually for
players 18+. Often games suggest that violence is acceptable and is just a way of life. GTA is an
example of this, in this game you are encouraged to do bad things like shoot people, steal cars
Types of media
Newspaper - Newspapers write a large number of stories on very vicious crimes, like stabbings,
terrorism and shootings. Newspapers have very big headings usually in bold with dramatic and
exaggerated information, focusing mainly on the negative aspects. For instance the Evening
Standards head page was titled ‘shocking rise in knife crime’, which creates a moral panic, the
newspapers use scaremonger to bring the fear into them. This then illustares the police as
incompetent as more and more young people are becoming criminals. When a major incident
occurs the front page and many sections inside contain the latest pictures and reports, making
the whole event seem more extravagant than what it really is. This has led 43% of tabloid
readers believing that violent crime has risen significantly, this is due to newspapers over
reporting violent crimes while not reporting small crimes like vandalism. The sun and daily mail
both identify criminals as minorities with mental health issues who commit extreme crimes. They
stereotype foreigners and teenagers as aggressive criminals.
Television - In some TV programmes for instance nothing to declare (which is non fiction) police
are the heroes and the suspects are seen as desperate. Crime is now in one quarter of all tv
shows. Non fiction shows are based factionally with little exaggeration to highlight the
seriousness of what has occurred and to inform people of the true facts. Non fiction shows are
not glorified, they deliver the true picture with the real life punishments. However, fictional shows
glamourise crime, they tend to have the perpetrator as a ‘God’ type figure, and the police as the
bad guys. Which could impact the way one thinks about either the police or the criminal, if it
shows the police as the bad guys, people may take that idea out with them in the real world.
Which will have a negative effect on society as police are here to help they should not be seen
as the enemy. Peaky blinders which is a fictional show based on crime, creates this idea that in
order to survive and live a nice life the characters must make criminal acts.
Film - Around 20% of all movies are crime movies, and around half of all movies have significant
crime content. Films can cover both non fiction real life crimes and fictional ones. Films have a
huge impact on the way people see crimes and the facts and fictions surrounding them. The
movie Straight Outta Compton is based on real true events and focuses on how the police
treated minorities, especially the black community back in the 1980s. This movie portrays the
police as bullies who are brutal and racist, purley towards colored people, for nothing other than
the color of their skin. The movie was done by interviewing with the original members of the
group which gathered stories to create this movie. A fictional movie, Suicide Squad is comprised
of the universes deadliest villians, whom of which are all glofied in the movie. As they go around
committing crime after crime they are being rewarded with 10 years off their sentence as well
being seen as heroic to the audience watching. This therefore shows the positive images of
crime and all the benefits that may or may not come along.
Electronic gaming - Gaming tends to show us the fictional side of crime which is usually for
players 18+. Often games suggest that violence is acceptable and is just a way of life. GTA is an
example of this, in this game you are encouraged to do bad things like shoot people, steal cars
