How The Media Shapes The Public Discourse Of Crime

Hannah M. Lahodny March 6th, 2015 || CMJS 2003 Examples and Analysis of How the Media Shapes the Public Discourse of Crime Whether through social media, televised news, or newspapers, most people are exposed to some sort of news media every day. It is the responsibility of the media to inform the public about what is happening in the world around us, and more often than not, that includes reporting crime. If the media is the source of our information, they have the power to influence our perception of that information. The media have the power to not only influence our perception of crime, but also the course it takes through the legal system. External pressures have ultimately shaped the news media’s illustration of violence and crime, and their coverage has and will reshape public opinion and even the criminal justice policy (Beale 2006). There are many examples of how the media changes the influences the public discourse of crime. This change can range from instilling small amounts of bias or jeopardizing high profile court cases. Regardless of the instance, it is something the public needs to be aware of. Perhaps the most well known recent example of how media shapes the public discourse of crime exists regarding the Ferguson trials. On August 9th 2014, an unarmed teenager, Michael Brown, was shot and killed by a police officer, Darren Wilson. The media took many roles in the report of this incident, but most notably the media portrayed it asShow MoreRelatedHistorical Analysis, Discourse, And Frame Analysis835 Words   |  4 Pageshistorical analysis, discourse analysis, and frame analysis techniques, Beckett is able to paint a broad picture of her argument. Her use of polls and surveys demonstrates that the traditional link between public opinion and the tough on crime policies that led to mass incarceration is problematic. 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