Media and the Criminal Justice System

This volume examines the influence of the media on the criminal justice system, where age has a greater influence on consumers’ attitudes towards criminal justice in the media than any other factor. The volume argues that external pressure is determining how the news media covers crime and violence in contemporary times, and the resulting reports have played an important role in remodeling public opinion and ultimately shaping criminal justice policies. The news media is not only a mirror that reflects social events, but is also affected by other external influences, which often exceed traditional news reporting standards. The volume explores how regional and national television stations cover crime stories. In these news, the degree and style of crime news reports have been adjusted to meet the needs of viewers. They often emphasize specific groups of people to have violent tendencies. For instance, chapter 7 discusses the role of media in creating social awareness, and chapter 8 the effects of media on law enforcement. The volume argues that news media has played an important role in creating support for punitive criminal justice rules, which is rarely known. It also reflects on how the news media interrelates with other dynamics that influence public opinion in the criminal justice structure.