Crime - Media

Question 1

What is the media’s relationship with crime in contemporary society?

Answer 1

The media are obsessed with crime, presenting it through documentaries, T.V. programs, films, and news coverage.

The media’s saturation with crime influences public perception and understanding of criminality.

Question 2

How do media representations of crime distort public perception?

Answer 2

The media gives a distorted view of crime, often over-representing violent and sexual crimes.

Audiences may perceive these crimes as more common than they truly are.

Question 3

What is a key example of media exaggeration regarding crime victims?

Answer 3

Media exaggerate the chances of becoming a victim of crime, particularly for women regarding rape and sexual assault.

Such exaggeration can lead to heightened fear among the public.

Question 4

What is moral panic in the context of media and crime?

Answer 4

Moral panic occurs when the media represents certain groups negatively, blaming them for rising crime rates, such as blaming drill artists for knife crime.

This can create widespread social fear and concern.

Question 5

What are news values in relation to crime stories?

Answer 5

News values refer to the values and assumptions held by journalists and editors that guide their selection of newsworthy crime stories.

These values influence what gets reported and how it is presented.

Question 6

Which types of crime are deemed more newsworthy by the media?

Answer 6

The media finds the following types of crime more newsworthy:
* Celebrity offenders or victims
* Child offenders or victims
* Violent crimes

These categories attract more media attention compared to ordinary individuals.

Question 7

Provide an example of a celebrity crime that received media attention.

Answer 7

Justin Bieber received extensive media coverage after being caught speeding in Florida.

Celebrity involvement in crime often leads to heightened public interest.

Question 8

What was significant about the murder of Jamie Bulger?

Answer 8

The murder of two-year-old Jamie Bulger by two 10-year-old boys received widespread media coverage.

Child victims or offenders tend to attract significant media focus.

Question 9

What type of crime was highlighted in the Look North coverage in August 2020?

Answer 9

Look North covered a violent assault on a disabled man.

Violent crimes are regularly featured in news reports due to their perceived newsworthiness.

Question 10

Fill in the blank: The media creates ________ about certain crimes and groups.

Answer 10

moral panic

Question 11

True or False: The media accurately represents the frequency of all types of crime.

Answer 11

False

Question 12

How do the News Values influence public opinion on crime?

Answer 12

They shape perceptions based on media representations, often leading to inaccuracies.

Question 13

What is a consequence of media misrepresentation of crime?

Answer 13

Public perceptions of crime become distorted, exaggerating victim risks.

Question 14

What does Boudrillard’s concept of hyperreality imply about crime?

Answer 14

The media actively creates a reality of crime that does not reflect actual crime statistics.

Question 15

What is the public perception of crime rates despite actual trends?

Answer 15

Around two-thirds of the public believe crime rates are rising, although they have fallen.

Question 16

What changes are occurring in media representations of crime?

Answer 16

Media representations are becoming more reflective of reality, covering issues like police corruption and corporate crime.

Question 17

What is ‘copycat crime’ in the context of media influence?

Answer 17

Violent crimes committed by individuals imitating scenes from media, such as films or video games.

Question 18

What notable case exemplifies copycat crime?

Answer 18

The murder of Jamie Bulger by two boys who re-enacted a scene from ‘Child’s Play’.

Question 19

What types of behaviors were observed among children influenced by media violence?

Answer 19

Imitating prostitution, rape scenes, and pretending to sell drugs.

Question 20

What argument do critics present regarding media violence?

Answer 20

They argue that media violence can provide a cathartic effect, reducing real-life violence.

Question 21

True or False: Exposure to violence in media has no impact on real-life violent crime.

Answer 21

False

Question 22

Fill in the blank: Exposure to violence in the media may lead to a rise in _______.

Answer 22

violent crime

Question 23

What psychological effect do individuals gain from media violence?

Answer 23

Psychological relief from imagining participation in violent acts.

Question 24

How do adverts contribute to feelings of relative deprivation?

Answer 24

Adverts increase feelings of relative deprivation by promoting consumer goods that the working class cannot afford.

This leads to a perception of unfairness and can result in utilitarian crimes.

Question 25

What is the impact of adverts on working class youth, as seen in the 2011 London riots?

Answer 25

Working class youths looted to obtain items they felt they deserved, such as Nike trainers. ## Footnote This illustrates the notion of economic exclusion versus the desire for consumer goods.

Question 26

What does 'strain to anomie' refer to in the context of advertising?

Answer 26

It refers to the phenomenon where audiences accept the goal of consumer goods but cannot achieve it through legitimate means, leading to property crimes like shoplifting. ## Footnote This concept highlights the disconnect between societal goals and individual means.

Question 27

What is desensitisation in relation to crime and media?

Answer 27

Desensitisation occurs when constant images of violence and crime in the media lead people to become numb to these issues. ## Footnote This may increase the likelihood of individuals committing crimes themselves.

Question 28

How does the public typically respond to crime reported in the news?

Answer 28

The response often includes social action, such as fundraising for victims of crime. ## Footnote An example is the crowdfunding set up after the vandalism of Brandsholme special school.

Question 29

What is the Functionalist view on crime in the media?

Answer 29

The Functionalist view suggests that crime in the media can promote social solidarity by reinforcing shared norms and values. ## Footnote This perspective emphasizes the positive social functions of media reporting on crime.

Question 30

What new means to commit crime have emerged with the development of the internet?

Answer 30

Cybercrimes such as identity theft, computer fraud, and phishing attempts have risen with the internet's development. ## Footnote These crimes exploit online platforms and technology to deceive individuals.

Question 31

What was a significant example of cybercrime during the coronavirus pandemic?

Answer 31

Online scams, including bogus websites selling PPE and fake Netflix accounts, became rampant. ## Footnote These scams often involved stealing bank details from unsuspecting users.

Question 32

What happened during the Twitter hack in July 2020?

Answer 32

Three young men hacked celebrity accounts to tweet a Bitcoin scam, making over £80,000. ## Footnote This hack involved spear-phishing attacks targeting Twitter employees for access.

Question 33

What is a spear-phishing attack?

Answer 33

A spear-phishing attack is a targeted attempt to steal sensitive information by tricking individuals into providing it. ## Footnote In the Twitter hack, hackers used friendly persuasion to gain access to employee credentials.

Question 34

What type of crime has low prosecution rates due to difficulties in tracing?

Answer 34

Cybercrime ## Footnote Cybercrime often occurs in private on computers, making it challenging for law enforcement to track.

Question 35

What is the term for crimes that are not recorded in official crime statistics?

Answer 35

Dark figure ## Footnote The dark figure refers to unreported or unknown crimes.

Question 36

What can exaggerated media coverage generate regarding deviant groups?

Answer 36

Moral panic ## Footnote A moral panic is a wave of public concern often fueled by media portrayal.

Question 37

What are individuals or groups labeled as deviant often referred to in media?

Answer 37

Folk devils ## Footnote Folk devils are depicted as threats to society in the context of moral panics.

Question 38

What happens as a result of public demand for harsher measures against deviant groups?

Answer 38

Increased policing ## Footnote This can include more arrests and higher fines for the labeled deviant groups.

Question 39

What is the process called when media and police action create more deviance?

Answer 39

Deviancy amplification ## Footnote Deviancy amplification occurs when initial deviant behavior is worsened by societal reactions.

Question 40

Who studied the media coverage of the mods and rockers in 1964?

Answer 40

Cohen ## Footnote Cohen's study highlighted how media exaggerated the violence associated with these subcultures.

Question 41

What event led to the moral panic surrounding the mods and rockers?

Answer 41

Easter weekend 1964 in Clacton ## Footnote This event included minor scuffles and vandalism that were exaggerated by the media.

Question 42

What did the media's condemnation of the mods and rockers lead to?

Answer 42

Deviancy amplification ## Footnote Increased police crackdowns contributed to further deviant behavior among youth.

Question 43

How did media reports contribute to the behavior of young people during the mods and rockers events?

Answer 43

Encouraged misbehavior ## Footnote The presence of media coverage led some young people to join in the violence.

Question 44

What is an example of a contemporary moral panic similar to that of the mods and rockers?

Answer 44

Drill artists and knife crime ## Footnote Media reports have labeled drill artists as scapegoats for the rise in knife crime in London.

Question 45

What type of police action was taken in response to media claims about drill artists?

Answer 45

Criminal Behaviour Orders and increased stop and search ## Footnote These measures aimed to curb violence but also contributed to further deviance.

Question 46

True or False: Deviancy amplification only occurs in historical contexts and not in today's society.

Answer 46

False ## Footnote Deviancy amplification is relevant and observable in contemporary societal issues.

Question 47

How is the news reported today compared to the past?

Answer 47

Through different types of media such as T.V., social media, YouTube, and newspapers

Question 48

What has changed regarding audience exposure to news?

Answer 48

Audiences are exposed to a range of competing accounts and viewpoints

Question 49

What power did moral entrepreneurs have in the past?

Answer 49

They had more power over reporting due to limited media sources

Question 50

What makes it more difficult to generate moral panics today?

Answer 50

Diversity of media reports and public skepticism towards mainstream media

Question 51

According to postmodernists, how has public perception of media reports changed?

Answer 51

People are much more skeptical of mainstream media reports

Question 52

What does postmodernist Beck argue about contemporary society?

Answer 52

We now live in a risk society filled with uncertainties

Question 53

What types of risks are mentioned as part of daily life?

Answer 53

* Fear of losing your job * Computer hit by a virus * Identity theft

Question 54

How have moral panics evolved according to the text?

Answer 54

Many things that used to generate moral panics are now normal parts of daily life

Question 55

What is a normal part of life in today's society?

Answer 55

Crime consciousness and protecting oneself against identity theft or fraud

Question 56

Fill in the blank: It is less easy to define what a _______ might be today.

Answer 56

moral panic