The Media as a Cause of Crime

Question 1

Outline ways in which media might cause crime and deviance

Answer 1

• Imitation (deviant role model)
• Arousal (through viewing violent or sexual imagery)
• Desensitisation
• By transmitting knowledge of criminal techniques
• Creates a target for crime (understanding who to target/what to look for)
• By stimulating desires for unaffordable goods (advertising)
• By portraying the police as incompetent
• By glamourising offending

Question 2

Describe evidence that supports a link between media use and fear of crime

Answer 2

• In the US, Gerbner et al found that heavy users of television had higher levels of crime
• However these correlations don’t prove that media viewing causes of fear
• Greer and Reiner note much ‘effects’ research on the media as a cause of crime or fear of a crime ignores the meaning that viewers give to media violence

Question 3

Describe relative deprivation as a cause of crime

Answer 3

• LR argue that that the mass media helps to increase the sense of relative deprivation among poor and marginalised social groups (Lea and Young)
• In today’s society, where even the poorest groups have media access, the media present everyone with images of a materialistic ‘good life’ of leisure, fun and consumer goods as the norm to which they should conform. This results in relative deprivation and social exclusion felt by marginalised groups who can’t afford these goods. Merton argues pressure to conform to the norm can cause deviant behaviour when the opportunity to achieve by legitimate means is blocked.

Question 4

Describe cultural criminology

Answer 4

• Cultural criminology argues that the media turn crime itself into the commodity that people desire. Rather than simply producing crime in their audiences, the media encourage them to consume crime, in the form of images of crime.
• Hayward and Jock see late modern society as a media-saturated society, where we’re immersed in the ‘mediascape’ (tangle of digital crimes) so much so, that there’s a blurring between reality and images of crime.
• e.g. gang crimes may not just be ‘caught’ on camera, but may be staged for the camera to provide entertainment for the masses

Question 5

Describe the commodification of crime

Answer 5

• Hayward and Young argue crime and its thrills can be commodified as corporations and advertisers use image of crime to sell products, especially to the youth market.
• e.g. rap and hip hop combing images of criminality with consumerist success.
• Crime and deviance is then a style to be consumed (an identity to represent a cultural symbol). This in itself becomes a symbol of deviance

Question 6

Describe how the commodification of crime is applied to mainstream products

Answer 6

• Hayward and Young cite examples of car ads featuring street riots, joyriding and graffiti etc.
• Designer clothing Section 60 is named after the section of the Act giving police the power to stop and search.