AC1.5: Explain the impact of media
representations on the public of crime(30mins)
(6 marks)
Moral panic is when the media represents the levels and seriousness of crime in an
over emphasised way so there is an inflation in the public's reaction this is due to the
fact that the public go off the stereotypes of how they should react. Stanley Cohen
said in his book ‘folk devils and moral panics’ “moral panics occur when a condition,
episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to
societal values and interests”. A real life example of moral panic is mods and rockers
conflict in 1960 which led to a rise in the level of social control, arrests became more
common and judges were harsher including fines being more serious and gave them
prison time as it was harsher which is due to public fear and panic. During this
conflict 44 people were injured and this conflict made a clear decisive moment in
cultural history. Another example is the McMartin preschool study, this case placed
in california but caused a worldwide moral panic spread by newspapers as this case
included 60 young children being victimised, after this case was over it cost more
than $15 million.
Changing public concerns and attitudes this is when public concern changes about
different types of crimes overtime. This is due to the deviancy amplification which is
when media start a typical event that starts a cycle of reporting on particular
antisocial behaviour which is used to scare and create fear for the public and
attracts attention. The impact of changing these concerns and attitudes reflects on
police and government priorities as the public gets to vote and feel strongly about
these issues. The public may do this because the majority of people feel really
representations on the public of crime(30mins)
(6 marks)
Moral panic is when the media represents the levels and seriousness of crime in an
over emphasised way so there is an inflation in the public's reaction this is due to the
fact that the public go off the stereotypes of how they should react. Stanley Cohen
said in his book ‘folk devils and moral panics’ “moral panics occur when a condition,
episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to
societal values and interests”. A real life example of moral panic is mods and rockers
conflict in 1960 which led to a rise in the level of social control, arrests became more
common and judges were harsher including fines being more serious and gave them
prison time as it was harsher which is due to public fear and panic. During this
conflict 44 people were injured and this conflict made a clear decisive moment in
cultural history. Another example is the McMartin preschool study, this case placed
in california but caused a worldwide moral panic spread by newspapers as this case
included 60 young children being victimised, after this case was over it cost more
than $15 million.
Changing public concerns and attitudes this is when public concern changes about
different types of crimes overtime. This is due to the deviancy amplification which is
when media start a typical event that starts a cycle of reporting on particular
antisocial behaviour which is used to scare and create fear for the public and
attracts attention. The impact of changing these concerns and attitudes reflects on
police and government priorities as the public gets to vote and feel strongly about
these issues. The public may do this because the majority of people feel really
