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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for mass media
29 results foundAuthor: Marhia, Natasha Title: Just Representation? Press Reporting and the Reality of Rape Summary: Since its inception in 2003, the Lilith Project, part of Eaves, has monitored and reported upon the press. This has led to an increasing awareness that newspaper reports about sexual violence do not accurately reflect these crimes. Lilith identified a random sample of 136 news articles about rape and sexual assault appearing in mainstream newspapers and on the BBC Online news site during the calendar year 2006 and analysed their content, in relation to the offence(s), perpetrator(s), victim(s) and judicial proceedings, and language used to represent all of the above. Key findings The main finding of the study was the identification of a press construction of rape, perpetrators and victims which is contrary to all research and crime statistics and which has a damaging effect on public perceptions of sexual offences and in turn the reporting of, and conviction rates for, sexual offences. This construction depicts rape as an outdoor crime at the hands of a monstrous or bestial deviant stranger, who may be 'foreign', and uses extreme violence to overpower a victim. In this construction the female victim must be 'proven innocent' through press reporting of her actions before, during and after the attack, including her unimpeachable conduct, valiant resistance, subsequent helplessness and physical and emotional trauma. This finding echoes earlier research in this area. The report also explores new and emerging themes such as the press failing to link individual cases of rape and sexual assault to a wider continuum of violence against women; the press tendency to over-report 'false allegations'; and the use of rape cases involving non-British nationals by the press as a vehicle for mobilising xenophobia. The press construction of rape contrasts with the research evidence in the following ways: - Rape cases which led to a conviction account for 48.5% of news reports about rape, but in reality only 5.7% of reported rapes result in a conviction. - Attacks by strangers account for over half - 54.4% - of press reports about rape, despite the fact that only 8-17% of rapes in the UK are stranger rapes. - The majority - 56% - of rapes are perpetrated by a current or former partner, but these cases are almost invisible in the press, accounting for only 2% of stories about rape. - Although only 13% of rapes take place in public places, these account for 54% of press reports of rape. - The press disproportionately covers rape cases involving excessive additional violence including grievous bodily harm and murder, the use of a weapon or intoxicants, abduction and kidnapping and/or multiple assailants. - Attacks against underage girls are over-reported in the press, while attacks against adult women are under-reported compared with recorded crime statistics. Details: London: Eaves, 2008. 58p. Source: The Lilith Project 2008: Accessed April 25, 2018 at: https://i4.cmsfiles.com/eaves/2012/04/Just-Representation_press_reporting_the_reality_of_rape-d81249.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://i4.cmsfiles.com/eaves/2012/04/Just-Representation_press_reporting_the_reality_of_rape-d81249.pdf Shelf Number: 117147 Keywords: Mass MediaRapeSex OffendersSexual Violence |
Author: Roy, Susmita Title: The Impact of Natural Disasters on Crime Summary: This study addresses the following questions in the context of a developing coun- try. Do crimes increase following natural disasters? Does an upcoming election or the presence of a strong local media, which potentially increases the incentive of the government to provide disaster relief, mitigate the effect of disasters on crime rates? The study found that crime rates tend to increase following moderate to big disasters. Furthermore, a higher pre-disaster growth of newspapers has a mitigating effect on the crime response to disasters. Elections also influence the crime response to disasters. Crimes are more likely to rise following disasters in the years that are close to an election year. Details: Christchurch, NZ: Department of Economics and Finance, College of Business and Economics, University of Canterbury, 2010. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper No. 57/2010: Accessed October 26, 2010 at: http://www.econ.canterbury.ac.nz/RePEc/cbt/econwp/1057.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.econ.canterbury.ac.nz/RePEc/cbt/econwp/1057.pdf Shelf Number: 120101 Keywords: Crime RatesMass MediaNatural Disasters |
Author: Youssef, Enas Abu Title: Egypt Violence Against Women Study: Media Coverage of Violence Against Women Summary: This study attempts to identify the nature of the coverage of violence against women in the Egyptian mass media with the aim of introducing an effective media mechanism that will help expand interest in this issue beyond the limited academic community and dedicated authorities, and expanded to the general public. This study is based on a secondary analysis of six reports published by the NCW’s Media Watch Unit from April 2005 to March 2006 and from February 2007 to February 2008. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the social cultural analysis model of monitoring the direct relationship between the media discourse and the prevalent culture and the social and political discourses in society. The findings of the analytical study indicate that the media did not give sufficient attention to publishing information related to violence against women. Issues related to violence against women comprised only 17.4 percent of its total coverage of women’s issues, based on the study sample. The representation of community violence was covered more often (66.1 percent of cases of media coverage of violence against women), compared to domestic violence (33.9 percent). Both print media and television were similar in their coverage of community violence (70 percent and 60.2 percent coverage of violence against women, respectively), and in their coverage of domestic violence (30 percent and 39.8 percent, respectively). Radio programs had an equal interest in domestic and community violence (50.1 percent and 49.9 percent coverage of violence against women, respectively). The findings confirm that media discourse tends to focus negatively on sexual harassment of women at work and in the street. However, on the issue of political involvement of women, media discourse was divided between supporting and opposing women in politics. Of particular note is the media’s general agreement with the idea that a woman does not have the right to be nominated for the presidency. The review of the target audiences indicates that media messages do not differentiate by audience categories — rural/urban, age categories, and economic levels. Rather, media discourse is oriented primarily elite audiences. In dramatic representation of violence against women on radio and television, the analysis shows that violence against women is one of the main sources for conflict in plots for broadcast dramas. Of the 48 percent of radio dramas that presented issues of violence against women, 86.8 percent depicted domestic violence and 13.2 percent depicted community violence. Of the 45 percent of television dramas presenting violence against women, 69.5 percent depicted domestic violence and 30.5 percent depicted community violence. The qualitative analysis of the dramatic productions shows that, when these programs portray violence, the family’s disintegration or malfunctioning is mostly the woman’s fault and only she is to be blamed. In addition, in these productions, justifiable reasons are given for violence against women. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2009. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2012 at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ888.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Egypt URL: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ888.pdf Shelf Number: 125530 Keywords: Abused WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceMass MediaViolence Against Women (Eqypt) |
Author: Morgan, Jenny Title: Victorian Print Media Coverage of Violence Against Women: A Longitudinal STudy Summary: The media plays a key role in the way people understand social issues such as violence against women. This research focuses on how violence against women has been represented by parts of the Victorian print media. It identifies opportunities to strengthen reporting on violence against women to improve community understanding of the nature and causes of the issue. It is intended to be a helpful resource for all media professionals, but particularly trainee journalists, their mentors and current newspaper editors. Details: Carlton South, VIC, AUS: VicHealth, 2012. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2012 at: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Publications/Freedom-from-violence/Victorian-print-media-coverage-of-violence-against-women.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Publications/Freedom-from-violence/Victorian-print-media-coverage-of-violence-against-women.aspx Shelf Number: 125841 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceMass MediaMediaNewspapersViolence Against Women (Australia) |
Author: Myers, Adam Title: The Objectification of Women as a Facilitator of Sex Trafficking Demand Summary: Human trafficking represents one of the great social ills and avenues of international crime in our day. One facet of human trafficking, which involves the trafficking of women and girls into sex work industries, is perpetuated by demand within receiving states. Within developed states, this demand can be identified as being fostered by a culture of objectification of women, wherein women's bodies and sexual capability are seen as commodities. This objectified culture has been created and nurtured by cultural influences that vary in legality and general acceptance but are all pervasive practices, such as the presence of pornography, and depictions of women in general media sources such music, film, and advertising. The cultural sources of the objectification women must be seriously addressed in order to combat trafficking demand within developed receiving states. Details: Unpublished Paper, 2011. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2012 at: http://adamhmyers.com/Objectification-human%20trafficking.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://adamhmyers.com/Objectification-human%20trafficking.pdf Shelf Number: 126492 Keywords: Human TraffickingMass MediaPornographyProstitutionSex TraffickingSex WorkersSexual Exploitation |
Author: Salomon, Mereth Pauline von Title: Motherhood On Trial: The American Media's Reception of the Filicide Cases of Susan Smith, Andrea Yates, and Casey Anthony Summary: In 2008, two year old Caylee Anthony was reported missing, and a frantic search for the toddler began. In December 2008, the child's body was found in a wooded area close to her mother Casey's parent's house. Casey Anthony was then charged with murder of her daughter. In 2011, Ms. Anthony was found not guilty of killing her daughter. But most Americans – until this day - are convinced that Casey Anthony had gotten rid of her child because she had wanted to continue living her party-life and date men, accusations lined with a loathing of promiscuity and women's sexuality, even though the evidence brought forward against her was not enough to prove the charges pressed against her. I cannot – and neither do I want to – pass judgment about whether or not Anthony's acquittal was justified. What this study aims to do, however, is to lay out how cases of maternal filicide in the United States are reacted to in the American media, an idea that I had shortly after the Anthony trial ended. Even though I had not followed the Anthony trial in its entirety, it became inescapable for me on the Internet. My Facebook Newsfeed blew up on July 5th 2011, the day when Casey Anthony was found not guilty. Many of my friends posted angry statuses about the verdict, several of them calling the outcome of this trial a “crime” in itself. One friend wrote that if Dexter (the homicidal main character of popular TV Show Dexter who brutally kills murderers who had gone unpunished) was real, he would pay Anthony a friendly visit. Ever since then, the Anthony case has been on my mind. I was surprised, flabbergasted even, about what had happened here. I wondered what outraged my friends and millions of people in America about this trial. Were they really just concerned with Caylee (and the justice she arguably had not gotten)? Why did they hate Anthony so much, and what freedom to voice their opinions did the Internet give them? Was Anthony such a target because she was a beautiful young woman who seemed to hide her real face from the world? Or was her single motherhood the real problem at hand - did Americans loathe Anthony so much because she was not what people thought a mother should be? And if that would be the case, what do Americans expect from mothers? These questions form the foundation for this study. In order to answer them, next to the case of Casey Anthony, the media's reception of the cases of Susan Smith and Andrea Yates will be covered. Newspaper and magazine articles will be taken as mirrors and catalysts of public opinion, with the Internet also taking up some room in this study's discussion of the Anthony case. Details: Utrecht, The Netherlands: Utrecht University, 2012. 153p. Source: Internet Resource: Master's Thesis: Accessed October 1, 2012 at: http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/student-theses/2012-0719-200734/Master'sThesis-Mereth%20von%20SalomonPDF.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/student-theses/2012-0719-200734/Master'sThesis-Mereth%20von%20SalomonPDF.pdf Shelf Number: 126530 Keywords: Child HomicideFilicide (U.S.)HomicideMass MediaMurderMurderers |
Author: Parents Television Council Title: TV's Newest Target: Teen Sexual Exploitation: The Prevalence and Trivialization of Teen Sexual Exploitation on Primetime TV Summary: The study, “TV’s Newest Target: Teen Sexual Exploitation,” includes programming that aired during the first two weeks of the November 2011 sweeps period [October 27 – November 9, 2011], as well as during the first two weeks of the May 2012 sweeps period [April 26 – May 9, 2012]. Only scripted original programs that aired during primetime on broadcast television were examined. Collectively, PTC analysts viewed a total of 238 episodes for a total of 194.5 hours of programming. The following types of sexually exploitative content served as the primary focus of the study: sexual violence, sexual harassment, prostitution, sex trafficking, stripping, and pornography. · Although adult female character were more likely to have sexualizing dialogue or depictions in their scenes, the likelihood that a scene would include sexual exploitation was higher if the female characters were young adults or younger. · The likelihood that a scene would include sexual exploitation was highest when the female characters were underage (23.33%). · Sexually exploitative topics targeting underage girls were more likely to be humorous (42.85%) compared to adult women (33.02%). · Topics that targeted underage girls and were presented as jokes included: Sexual violence (child molestation), sex trafficking, sexual harassment, pornography, and stripping. · Thirty seven percent of all sexual exploitation observed during the study period was intended to be humorous. · The content rose to the level of sexual exploitation in one-third of the shows where females were associated with sexual dialogue and/or depictions. · Pornography (66%) and stripping (65%) were the two forms of exploitation most likely to be written into the scripts as punch lines. · Sexually exploitative content was typically presented in the form of dialogue rather than depictions. However, the dialogue was significantly more crude and explicit than the depictions. Details: Los Angeles: Parents Television Council, 2013. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed July 19, 2013 at: http://w2.parentstv.org/MediaFiles/PDF/General/sexploitation_report_20130709.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://w2.parentstv.org/MediaFiles/PDF/General/sexploitation_report_20130709.pdf Shelf Number: 129461 Keywords: Child Sexual ExploitationMass MediaProstitutionSexual ViolenceTeenagersViolence and Television |
Author: Dugan, Emily Title: Forced Labour and Human Trafficking: Media Coverage in 2012 Summary: The press identified significantly fewer victims of forced labour than the official figures. This analysis of media coverage of forced labour in 2012 gives insight into how many victims of forced labour there are in the UK and shows trends in human trafficking and forced labour. ◾Analysis of 2,770 media articles captured by LexisNexis in 2012 found 263 victims of forced labour and human trafficking were identified by the UK media in Britain last year. ◾The press identified significantly fewer victims than the official figures. The United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) found 1,186 potential victims of forced labour and trafficking in 2012. ◾Gaps in newspaper reporting often reflect gaps in law enforcement; the sources of articles are often court cases or tip-offs from the police or other officials. This paper analyses 2,770 articles captured by LexisNexis in 2012. Details: York, UK: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2013. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2013 at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/forced-labour-media-coverage-full.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/forced-labour-media-coverage-full.pdf Shelf Number: 129514 Keywords: Forced Labor (U.K.)Human TraffickingMass Media |
Author: Parents Television Council Title: Dying to Entertain: Violence on Prime Time Broadcast TV 1998 to 2006 Summary: TV violence has become a paradox of sorts. Medical and social science have proven conclusively that children are adversely affected by exposure to it – yet millions of parents think nothing of letting their children watch C.S.I. or other, equally violent programs. Prominent leaders in the entertainment industry publicly decry violent entertainment – but then continue to produce and distribute it. Despite the widespread consensus that TV violence is a significant problem, it has become not only more frequent, but more graphic in recent years. Indeed, the television season that began in the fall of 2005 was one of the most violent in recent history — averaging 4.41 instances of violence per hour during prime time — an increase of 75% since the 1998 television season. Dying to Entertain is the PTC’s second examination of TV violence during prime time on the six major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, UPN and the WB). Using the previous report, TV Bloodbath (released in December 2003 and analyzing content from the 1998, 2000, and 2002 television seasons) as a baseline, the PTC discerned some longitudinal trends and qualitative differences over the past eight years. For this Special Report, PTC analysts reviewed programming from the first two weeks of the November, February and May sweeps during the 2003-2004, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006 television seasons for a total of 1,187.5 programming hours. MAJOR FINDINGS: Between 1998 and 2006: ● Violence increased in every time slot: ✔ Violence during the 8:00 p.m. Family Hour has increased by 45% ✔ Violence during the 9:00 p.m. hour has increased by 92% ✔ Violence during the 10:00 p.m. hour has increased by 167% ● ABC experienced the biggest increase in violent content overall. In 1998, ABC averaged .93 instances of violence per hour during prime time. By 2006, ABC was averaging 3.8 instances of violence per hour — an increase of 309%. ● Fox, the second-most violent network in 1998, experienced the smallest increase. Fox averaged 3.43 instances of violence per hour in 1998 and 3.84 instances of violence per hour by 2006 — an increase of only 12%. ● Violent scenes increasingly include a sexual element. Rapists, sexual predators and fetishists are cropping up with increasing frequency on prime time programs like Law and Order: S.V.U., C.S.I., C.S.I. Miami, C.S.I. New York, Medium, Crossing Jordan, Prison Break, E.R. and House. Details: Los Angeles: Parents Television Council, 2007. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2013 at: http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/reports/violencestudy/DyingtoEntertain.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/reports/violencestudy/DyingtoEntertain.pdf Shelf Number: 129517 Keywords: Mass MediaTelevision and Violence (U.S.) |
Author: Copus, Ryan Title: Entertainment as Crime Prevention: Evidence from Chicago Sports Games Summary: The concern that mass media may be responsible for aggressive and criminal behavior is widespread. Comparatively little consideration has been given to its potential diversionary function. This paper contributes to the emerging body of literature on entertainment as a determinant of crime by analyzing Chicago by-the-minute crime reports during major sporting events. Sports provide an exogenous infusion of TV diversion that we leverage to test the effect of entertainment on crime. Because the scheduling of a sporting event should be random with respect to crime within a given month, day of the week, and time, we use month-time-day-of-week fixed effects to estimate the effect of the sporting events on crime. We compare crime reports by the half hour when Chicago's NFL, NBA, or MLB teams are playing to crime reports at the same time, day, and month when the teams are not playing. We conduct the same analysis for the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, and MLB World Series. The Super Bowl generates the most dramatic declines: total crime reports decrease by approximately 25 percent (roughly 60 fewer crimes). The decline is partially offset by an increase in crime before the game, most notably in drug and prostitution reports, and an uptick in reports of violent crime immediately after the game. Crime during Chicago Bears Monday night football games is roughly 15 percent lower (30 fewer crimes) than during the same time on non-game nights. Our results show similar but smaller effects for NBA and MLB games. Except for the Super Bowl, we find little evidence for temporal crime displacement before or after the games. In general, we find substantial declines during games across crime types - property, violent, drug, and other - with the largest reductions for drug crime. We believe fewer potential offenders on the streets largely explain the declines in crime Details: Berkeley, CA: University of California, Berkeley - School of Law; 2014. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2014 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2429551 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2429551 Shelf Number: 132325 Keywords: Crime PreventionMass MediaSporting Events |
Author: Ipsos MediaCT Title: Sexual and sadistic violence in films. A Report for the British Board of Film Classification Summary: This research was conducted to inform a review of the British Board of Film Classification's (BBFC) sexual and sadistic violence policy. The research was commissioned because the BBFC consider an important determinant for identifying potential harm in the viewing of films with sexual and sadistic violence content, to be the insights, opinions and attitudes of the adult general public 18 years and over. The research therefore aimed to explore participant opinion on the potential moral and psychological harm or other impact that could be caused by films which contain scenes of sexual and sadistic violence. Public confidence in the classification system is also deemed to be a key measure for the effectiveness of the system. The research thus sought to establish whether public opinion on cut, uncut and rejected films is in line with the current BBFC classifications and policy. Details: London(?): Ipsos MediaCT, 2012. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2014 at: http://www.ipsos-mori.com/DownloadPublication/1524_mediact_review%20sexual%20violence%20in%20movies.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.ipsos-mori.com/DownloadPublication/1524_mediact_review%20sexual%20violence%20in%20movies.pdf Shelf Number: 132912 Keywords: Mass MediaMedia ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence in Motion Pictures |
Author: Schildkraut, Jaclyn V. Title: Mass Murder and the Mass Media: An Examination of the Media Discourse on U.S. Rampage Shootings, 2000-2012 Summary: Nearly as soon as the first shot is fired, the news media already are rushing to break coverage of rampage shooting events, the likes of which typically last days or, in the more extreme cases, weeks. Though rampage shootings are rare in occurrence, the disproportionate amount of coverage they receive in the media leads the public to believe that they occur at a much more regular frequency than they do. Further, within this group of specialized events, there is a greater tendency to focus on those that are the most newsworthy, which is categorized most often by those with the highest body counts. This biased presentation can lead to a number of outcomes, including fear of crime, behavioral changes, and even copycat attacks from other, like-minded perpetrators. Following the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, the news media have compartmentalized different types of mass shootings. This fracturing has led to differential understanding of school shootings, workplace shootings, shootings at religious centers, and other mass shootings taking place in public forums (e.g., malls, movie theaters). In reality, there are few differences between these events, yet for some reason, they are covered differently. The result is not only a vast public misconception about them, but ineffective and redundant policies and legislation related to gun control and mental health, among other issues. In order to understand how the public comes to understand rampage shooting events, one must first understand how the stories are constructed by the media. This project seeks to undertake such a task by examining the social construction of rampage shootings that occurred between 2000 and 2012. In addition to understanding how these events are constructed both individually and as the phenomenon of rampage shootings, it enables the researcher to examine how this construction changes over time. As the media are by no means static, one could predict that the framing of these events would be equally as dynamic. There are a number of benefits to uniting different types of mass shootings under a single definition. First, topical research can be approached from multiple disciplines, which will allow for a more robust body of research. This can, in turn, lead to more streamlined and effective legislation and policies. Finally, understanding rampage shootings as episodic violent crime is beneficial because it allows for these events to be understood in the greater context of violent crime. This understanding ultimately can lead to more responsible journalistic practices, which can help to reduce the outcomes of fear and crime and moral panics over events that are both rare and isolated. This dissertation takes an important first step in understanding rampage shootings by examining them as a product of the news media. Berger and Luckmann's social construction theory provides a theoretical orientation through which to understand how these stories are constructed in the media, and Altheide and Schneider's (2013) qualitative media analysis provides a framework in which the content can be analyzed. A total of 91 cases were examined, representing rampage shootings that occurred in the first 12 years following Columbine. The overall findings of the study indicate that the coverage of these shootings consistently relied on Columbine as a cultural referent, that the media are used as a tool by claims makers pushing their personal agendas, and that the disproportionality of coverage in the media and its related content is highly problematic when considering public perceptions of these events. Limitations of the study, as well as avenues for future research, also are discussed. Details: San Marcos, TX: Texas State University, 2014. 247p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 29, 2014 at: https://digital.library.txstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10877/4947/SCHILDKRAUT-DISSERTATION-2014.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://digital.library.txstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10877/4947/SCHILDKRAUT-DISSERTATION-2014.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 133477 Keywords: Gun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceMass MediaMass Murders (U.S.)Violent Crimes |
Author: Mastrorocco, Nicola Title: Information and Crime Perceptions: Evidence from a Natural Experiment Summary: This paper investigates the influence of media on the beliefs and perceptions individuals hold, with a focus on crime perceptions. We study the case of Italy, where the majority of television channels have been under the influence of the former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for more than a decade. First, we document that these channels systematically over represent crime news compared to others. We then test if individuals revise their perceptions about crime when exposure to news programs broadcast by a specific group of partisan channels is reduced. In order to identify the causal effect we exploit a natural experiment in the Italian television market where the staggered introduction of the digital TV signal led to a drastic drop in the viewing shares of the channels above. Combining unique data on each channel's crime news coverage and prime-time viewing shares, we find that reduced exposure to crime-related news decreased concerns about crime, an effect that is mainly driven by older individuals who, on average, watch more television and use alternative sources of information (such as Internet, radio and newspapers) less frequently. Finally, we show that this change in crime perceptions is likely to have important implications for voting behaviour. Details: London: Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration Department of Economics, University College London, 2016. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper Series CPD 01/16: Accessed February 17, 2016 at: http://www.cream-migration.org/publ_uploads/CDP_01_16.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Italy URL: http://www.cream-migration.org/publ_uploads/CDP_01_16.pdf Shelf Number: 137862 Keywords: CommunicationInformationJournalistsMass MediaNewspapersPublic OpinionTelevisionVoting |
Author: Berridge, Susan Title: Serialised Sexual Violence in Teen Television Drama Series Summary: This thesis examines the kinds of stories about teenage sexual violence that are enabled (or not) by US and British teen television drama series between 1990 and 2008. This genre is centrally concerned with issues of sexuality and, in particular, sexual vulnerability as teenage characters negotiate the transition from childhood to adulthood. Sexual violence narratives are common within this context. This thesis argues that a fuller understanding of representations of sexual violence is enabled by contextualising these narratives in relation to overall series' and generic contexts. I employ a structural methodology to map where these storylines occur within series' and generic structures across fourteen texts, uncovering striking patterns that point to the value of analyzing several programmes alongside one another. This then provides the starting point for a deeper textual analysis of how sexual violence functions narratively and ideologically. Through doing this, I am able to provide insights into a variety of different forces that shape how these narratives are framed. Contextualising my analysis of representations of sexual violence allows me to account for the specificities of episodic and serial narrative forms, the generic hybridity of individual programmes, the wider conventions of the teen drama series genre, the gender of the series' protagonist and US and British contexts. Additionally, I identify the genre's dominant sexual norms and explore how these norms intersect with representations of sexual violence. Details: Glasgow: University of Glasgow, 2010. 269p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 7, 2016 at: http://theses.gla.ac.uk/2326/1/2010berridgephd.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://theses.gla.ac.uk/2326/1/2010berridgephd.pdf Shelf Number: 139287 Keywords: Mass MediaMedia and ViolenceSexual ViolenceTelevision Violence |
Author: Sutherland, Georgina Title: Media representations of violence against women and their children: Final report Summary: This project aimed to establish the extent and nature of reporting of violence against women by the Australian media to inform future strategies for change. Using both quantitative (content analysis) and qualitative (critical discourse analysis) methods, the study provided a glimpse into the complexity of reporting practices. It found that: - There is a clear link between media reporting and attitudes and beliefs in relation to violence against women, with audiences' emotional responses and attributions of responsibility affected by how the media frames news. - The vast majority of reporting on violence against women was "incident based", looking at tragic individual instances, but not exploring the issue in a more depth. - The lack of social context in reporting, and thereby the broader public's understanding of the issue, could be improved by the inclusion of more expert sources, including domestic violence advocates and those with lived experience of violence. Yet half of all sources were drawn from police and the criminal justice system; only 9.9 % of sources were domestic violence advocates /spokespeople; only 8.7 % were survivors. - The narrow use of sources contributed to a "murder centric" frame of most reporting, which is no doubt newsworthy but doesn't necessarily reflect women's different experiences of violence. 61.8% of incident based reporting was in relation to a homicide. Nearly 75.8 % of reporting focused on physical intimate partner violence, 22.5 % on sexual assault. Other types of violence, including emotional, threats or sexual harassment were all but invisible. - Myths and misrepresentations still find their way into reporting. Around 15 % of incident based reporting includes victim blaming, like she was drinking, flirting/went home with the perpetrator, was out alone, they were arguing; 14.8 % of incident based reporting offers excuses for the perpetrator, like he was drinking, using drugs, jealous/seeking revenge, "snapped" or "lost control". - Interestingly, and for the first time, this research picked up on a tendency to render the perpetrator invisible, with 59.8% of incident based reporting including no information whatsoever about the perpetrator. - Choice of language can sometimes be insensitive, for example 17.2 % of newspaper and online headlines were deemed sensationalistic, while 13.3 % of incident based news items used language in the report that was sensationalistic, including excessively gory/or overly sexually explicit detail. - Though we know the news media can be a powerful source of information for women looking to leave a violent relationship, only 4.3 % of news reports included help seeking information (1800RESPECT or others). Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Horizons, Issue 03/2016: Accessed June 7, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/final%20H3_2.2_Media_WEB.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/final%20H3_2.2_Media_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 139297 Keywords: Mass MediaMedia and ViolenceViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: Friehe, Tim Title: The Effect of Western TV on Crime: Evidence from East Germany Summary: This paper explores the causal influence of Western television programming on crime rates. We exploit a natural experiment involving access to West German TV within the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in which only geography and topography determined the allocation of individuals to treatment and control groups. Focusing on violent and property crime (as these domains were most likely to be affected by the marked differences in TV content), we find that in the post-reunification decade in which TV content was harmonized, regions that had access to Western TV broadcasts prior to the reunification experienced lower rates of violent crime, sex crime, and theft, but more fraud. Details: Marburg, Germany: University of Marburg, 2017. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Joint Discussion Paper Series in Economics, No. 10-2017: Accessed March 8, 2017 at: https://www.uni-marburg.de/fb02/makro/forschung/magkspapers/paper_2017/10-2017_friehe.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Germany URL: https://www.uni-marburg.de/fb02/makro/forschung/magkspapers/paper_2017/10-2017_friehe.pdf Shelf Number: 141375 Keywords: Mass MediaMedia and CrimeTelevision |
Author: Dodsley, Thomas Paul Title: Images of Crime: Young People, Cultural Representations of Crime, and Crime Concern in Late Modernity Summary: Set within the context of a late modern world where crime is both controlled and commodified, this thesis explores young people's crime concerns and their opinions on the cultural representation of crime. Following a reconceptualisation and widening of the notion of fear of crime, crime concern is employed to investigate young people's concerns regarding crime prevalence, crime management and crime representation. Encompassing a cultural criminological approach and an interpretive phenomenological attitude, this thesis utilises performative drama alongside focus groups to explore how crime concerns and the cultural representation of crime interact to inform everyday lived experience. The thesis finds that the young people in the study demonstrate an acute awareness of the processes which shape their understandings of crime. Such awareness is rooted in their sense of agency and embedded in a resistance towards the dominant discourse of problematic and risky youth. The crime concerns that the participants expressed were primarily regarding the representation and management of crime. Varying concerns around crime prevalence were identified. The findings reveal that gendered implications play a key role in shaping crime concern and forming opinions on the cultural representation of crime. The thesis concludes by reflecting upon the research process and pointing towards future directions for criminology. Details: Durham, UK: Durham University, 2017. 291p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 7, 2017 at: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/12042/1/Images_of_Crime.pdf?DDD34+ Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/12042/1/Images_of_Crime.pdf?DDD34+ Shelf Number: 144747 Keywords: Cultural CriminologyMass MediaMedia and Crime |
Author: Waggoner, Kimberlee G. Title: What Can State Talk Tell Us About Punitiveness? A Comparison of Responses to Political Mass Shootings in The United States and Norway Summary: Highlighting the culturally contingent nature of state reactions to crime, the present work focuses on state talk issued by the U.S. and Norwegian governments in the aftermath of politically motivated mass shootings. The research is guided by the question: how does state talk-conditioned by economic, political, and cultural forces-facilitate or constrain punitive responses to political mass shootings? Here, the focus is on the January 8th 2011 shooting of U.S. representative Gabrielle Giffords and her constituents and the July 22nd 2011 bombing of a government building and shooting of a youth political camp in Norway. These two cases illustrate how state talk can either help to escalate or moderate responses to horrific events. Situating state discourse in the context of American exceptionalism in the case of the United States and Scandinavian Exceptionalism in the case of Norway, the present study argues that state talk reflects and reinforces both the United States notably precarious and competitive social order and Norway's comparatively less volatile and more cooperative social order. Analysis of both more and less incendiary government talk and the cultural factors that uphold the tone and content of such state talk is needed to better understand the role of government rhetoric in shaping responses to tragedy. The present work, relying on qualitative content analysis, examines government press releases, speech transcripts, and op-eds posted to government websites. Here, themes thought to constrain or facilitate punitive responses, derived from criminological literature, were applied to the state talk data. This approach reveals the divergent ways in which states talk about tragedy across cultures. I then link divergent state talk findings to politics and social life after January 8th and July 22nd to paint a picture of the dissimilar effects of state talk. In conclusion, I discuss policy considerations in light of these findings and future avenues of research. Details: Norfolk, VA: Old Dominion University, 2016. 169p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 19, 2017 at: http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=sociology_criminaljustice_etds Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=sociology_criminaljustice_etds Shelf Number: 145569 Keywords: Gun-Related Violence Homicides Mass Homicides Mass MediaMass Shootings Punishment |
Author: Sutherland, Georgina Title: News Media and the primary prevention of violence against women and their children: Emerging Evidence, Insights and Lessons Summary: The news media (referred to as media throughout this report) have been identified in numerous Australian state and national policy documents as a priority area for action on preventing violence against women, including in the Council of Australian Government's National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022. The media features as a priority area in primary prevention because of its potential influence on public understanding of violence against women. News reports are a key factor in shaping community understanding because they report on current events and provide a framework for their interpretation. Who or what is selected to appear in the news and how those individuals and events are portrayed can have a profound influence on people's attitudes, beliefs and behaviours. Violence against women and its prevention are legitimate topics of public interest and research shows that media reporting on the issue in Australia is extensive. This research identified that while some aspects of reporting on violence against women in Australia are changing for the better, there remains much room for improvement. A key question is how to sustain positive shifts and foster further improvement. This emerging evidence paper aims to identify effective approaches or 'issues to consider' in engaging with, and building the capacity of the Australian media, to embed primary prevention as part of their work in reporting on violence against women. It is designed to inform and stimulate thinking about what future initiatives might look like if they are to be responsive to the current evidence-base, while being well suited to practical and policy considerations. Our synthesis of the key national and international scientific and grey literature, together with emerging evidence from research and evaluation projects, showed that approaches to engaging with media in primary prevention are more likely to be effective when they are evidenceinformed, developed collaboratively and involve multi-faceted, integrated and appropriately resourced strategies that consider the following key elements. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, 2017. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence Paper: Accessed August 28, 2017 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/0c1126a1-4a75-4271-8fc4-81862ed20a86/Emerging-evidence-guide-media.pdf.aspx Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/0c1126a1-4a75-4271-8fc4-81862ed20a86/Emerging-evidence-guide-media.pdf.aspx Shelf Number: 146922 Keywords: Gender-Based ViolenceMass MediaMedia and ViolenceViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: Ralsmark, Hilda Title: Media visibility and social tolerance: Evidence from USA Summary: I study the impact of media visibility of people of colour on the rate of hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity in the United States. To do so, I construct a novel measure of state-level media visibility of people of colour between 2007 and 2013. Comparing state-level variation in the hate crime rate with a measure of the one-year lagged state-level variation in media visibility, I find that an increase in media visibility reduces the number of hate crimes. The effect is not larger in states that used to be pro-slavery, but larger in states that are more prone to spontaneous emotional outbursts of hate. The result, which is robust to several checks, is in the line with the argument that "visibility matters." Details: Gothenburg: University of Gothenburg, 2017. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper in Economics No. 703: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/53014/1/gupea_2077_53014_1.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/53014/1/gupea_2077_53014_1.pdf Shelf Number: 147201 Keywords: Bias-Motivated CrimesHate CrimesMass MediaMedia and Crime |
Author: Chen, Si Title: Media Representations of Female Perpetrators in Death Penalty-Eligible Cases Summary: In the United States, it is highly uncommon for a woman to receive the death penalty and even rarer for one to be put to death. Since the moratorium on capital punishment was lifted in 1976, 1313 men have been executed, while only 12 women have suffered this same fate, as of March 31, 2013 (Death Penalty Information Center, 2013). It appears as though paternalistic ideals are still very much alive in our criminal justice system and we are still unwilling to fully condemn most women for their legal offenses. Nevertheless, as few as they may be, there are certain women who transcend this reluctance and receive the death sentence. Some are even ultimately executed. What sets these women and their crimes apart from other female criminals? Newspapers have always served as a source of socialization and information for the general public. Thus, by examining media depictions of these female defendants, we may gain a deeper understanding of the kind of woman society deems as worthy of this punishment. Glaser and Strauss' Grounded Theory was employed to compare newspaper articles written about 25 women on death row and 25 women who have escaped this penalty. Results reveal that the media often scrutinizes the woman's behavior and personality in a negative light, almost as a way to defeminize and dehumanize her to justify a possible execution. Details: Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University, 2013. 165p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 13, 2017 at: http://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&context=etd_mas_theses Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&context=etd_mas_theses Shelf Number: 147680 Keywords: Capital Punishment Death Penalty Female Offenders Mass MediaMedia |
Author: Turchan, Brandon Title: Handgun Carrying Permits: A Reaction to Local Violent Crime and Nationally Publicized Mass Murders? Summary: Recently, there has been rapid growth in the number of people applying for handgun carrying permits (HCP). This research investigated monthly HCP application rates at the county-level in Tennessee from 2008 through 2012 to identify possible factors behind the dramatic increase. Two factors hypothesized to be associated with HCP application rates were local violent crime rates and the occurrence of nationally publicized mass murders. First, a concurrent time series design was used to test for a relationship between local rates of murder, robbery, aggravated assault rate, forcible rape, and motor vehicle theft with HCP application rates. A Granger causality test was used to investigate simultaneity between the two key variables. Second, an interrupted time series design tested whether there was a relationship between nationally publicized mass murders and HCP application rates. Local murder, forcible rape, and robbery rates were found to be unrelated to HCP application rates, with mixed results for aggravated assault and motor vehicle theft rates. Also, results were mixed regarding the relationship between nationally publicized mass murders and HCP application rates but evidence suggests that an association may exist. Results are discussed in terms of theory and policy implications. Details: East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University, 2014. 116p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 17, 2017 at: https://search.proquest.com/docview/1559963200?pq-origsite=gscholar Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://search.proquest.com/docview/1559963200?pq-origsite=gscholar Shelf Number: 147709 Keywords: Gun-Related Violence Guns Handgun Carrying Permits Mass Homicides Mass MediaMass Murders Violent Crime |
Author: Raja, Irfan Azhar Title: Reporting British Muslims: The Re-emergence of Folk Devils and Moral Panics in Post -7/7 Britain (2005-2007) Summary: On 7 July 2005, Britain suffered its first ever suicide attack. Four young British-born Muslims, apparently well-educated and from integrated backgrounds, killed their fellow citizens, including other Muslims. The incident raised the vision that British Muslims would be seen as the 'enemy within' and a 'fifth column' in British society. To examine how this view emerged, this thesis investigates the representation of British Muslims in two major British broadsheets, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph, over a two-year period (7 July 2005-8 July 2007). A corpus of 274 news items, including editorials, comments, interviews, and news reports on the London bombings, has been collected and analysed using the inductive approach based upon thematic analysis. The thesis asks a significant question: How did these broadsheets present British Muslims in the wake of the London bombings? This thesis aims to present a narrative of how the London bombings (hereafter 7/7) emerged in these broadsheets based on their reaction to an interpretation and perception of the 7/7 event. This research indicates that the two broadsheets shared a similar cultural approach in combating Islamist terrorism, by encouraging the embracing of British values, although their different political orientations led to them differing attitudes over the precise manner in which this should be achieved. The Guardian was more concerned about individual liberty and human rights, while The Daily Telegraph emphasised the adaptation of tough legislation to combat terrorism. Given modern Britain's secular moral fibre, the supremacy of British values dominated the debates on British Muslims which somehow reflected a manifestation of a systematic campaign to redefine Islam as a religion that fits into secular Western society, validating terms such as 'Moderate Muslim', 'Islamic terrorists', 'Islamic extremists', 'Islamic militants' and 'Islamic terrorism'. Although both newspapers argue that radicalisation is a foreign-imported dilemma that has its roots in "Islamic ideology", they differ in their attitudes on how to deal with it. This thesis uses Cohen's (1972) text, which suggests that the media often portray certain groups within society as "deviant" and "folk devils" and blames them for crimes. This research into the reactions of two broadsheets permits a contemporary discussion of the London bombings and British Muslims in the light of Cohen's concept. It aims to locate the presence of a nexus of the four Ps - political parties, pressure groups, the press, and public bodies - that influence reporting and shape the debates (Ost, 2002; Chas, 2006, p.75). It is evident that the reporting of the two broadsheets blends three significant components: the views of self-proclaimed Islamic scholars, experts and hate preachers; the use of out-of-context verses of the Quran; and the use of political language to represent British Muslims. Arguably, the press transformed the 7/7 event, suggesting that it was driven by religious theology rather than being a politically motivated act. Details: Huddersfield, UK: University of Huddersfield, 2016. 382p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 15, 2017 at: http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/31087/1/__nas01_librhome_librsh3_Desktop_FINAL%20THESIS.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/31087/1/__nas01_librhome_librsh3_Desktop_FINAL%20THESIS.pdf Shelf Number: 148190 Keywords: Islamist TerrorismMass MediaMoral PanicsMuslimsNewspapersTerrorism |
Author: Ferguson, Kate Title: Countering violent extremism through media and communication strategies: A review of the evidence Summary: This report presents the analysis of a corpus of academic and grey literature relevant to a key challenge facing our society. How can media and communications be used to counter identity-based violence (IBV) or Violent Extremism (VE)? Part I focuses on "Counter-Narratives", looking at the evidence relating to strategic policy communication strategies and counter-propaganda techniques. This reflects literature from policymakers, think-tanks, and civil society initiatives rather than the academic literature base. Key findings include the following: - Current literature and policy concerned with countering propaganda is dominated by the language of 'counter-narratives' but a common understanding of this relatively new lexicon has yet to emerge. - There is little hard evidence that proves interaction with VE content leads to participation in VE activities. - The hypothesis that VE narratives or the real life threat of VE can be countered by an alternative set of communications is an assumption that remains unproven. These findings challenge claims that responding to propaganda strategies by firing back with "counter-narratives" can be effective. Part II looks at "Alternative Approaches" to the use of the media to counter violent extremism, drawing on insights from the "media development" and "media assistance" sectors, and research into whether mass media and new communication interventions can inhibit identity-based violence in certain crisis situations. Key findings include the following: - The theoretical foundations for these alternative approaches are supported by a stronger and more established research base, drawn from the multi-disciplinary fields of development, peace building, and social cohesion. - Media projects have less impact if seen to be linked to a political agenda. - A growing evidence base suggests that radio and television drama addressing issues of identity, reconciliation and tolerance have a positive an impact on public attitudes and behaviour. - Media assistance can ensure that local and domestic media can respond appropriately to VE narratives. - There is an emerging evidence base regarding the potential for rapid reaction media and communication strategies in situations where there is a threat of IBV. These findings suggest that alternative media strategies can help. But the trust and credibility of information providers is crucial. The final section "Reflections" concludes that the research landscape is fragmented and disconnected. but suggests several professional/practitioner sectors and academic disciplines could shed light on potentially effective media and communication CVE strategies. More needs to be done to draw the threads together to learn lessons and to identify and prioritise gaps in our knowledge and understanding. Details: Cambridge, UK: Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research University of East Anglia, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 25, 2018 at: http://www.paccsresearch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Countering-Violent-Extremism-Through-Media-and-Communication-Strategies-.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://www.paccsresearch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Countering-Violent-Extremism-Through-Media-and-Communication-Strategies-.pdf Shelf Number: 148926 Keywords: ExtremismMass MediaMedia CampaignsRadicalizationViolence PreventionViolent Extremism |
Author: Griffin, Darrin J. Title: Werther Effect in Active Shooter Events Summary: If it bleeds it leads - this is an unfortunate but real mentality in the industry of news media. Reporting practices have led to what is perceived as sensationalism of negative events. The Werther effect establishes the connection between publicized suicide events and a spike in incidents of suicide that follow (see Kim et al., 2013). Given the established behavior of the Werther effect, investigations should seek to understand what impact, if any, media publicizing has on copycat behavior of other life-ending incidents. Recently, active shooter events have become heavily publicized in the media. This begets a logical question: Are there copycat active shooters that seem to be motivated by media? This study served to explore the possible presence of copycat phenomena of contemporary active shooters through media sensationalism. Through the analysis of shooters' written manifestos available through public record we examined references made within their writings to previous active shooters. This relational data was input into social network analysis software (i.e., UCINET) to construct a network visualization. Google Trend analytics were also used to explore whether media portrayals might be driving interest in past active shooters - especially Columbine and Virginia Tech (VT). Findings support the notion of an idolization effect in the context of active shooters with the focus being on the large shootings of the past. The need for journalist ethics in active shooting contexts is discussed. Details: Unpublished paper, 2014. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 13, 2018 at: http://djgriffin.people.ua.edu/uploads/6/3/6/5/63651523/submission_version_werther_effect_in_active_shooter_events_alabama_communication_conference__1_.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://djgriffin.people.ua.edu/uploads/6/3/6/5/63651523/submission_version_werther_effect_in_active_shooter_events_alabama_communication_conference__1_.pdf Shelf Number: 149459 Keywords: Active ShooterCopycat CrimesGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceHomicidesJournalistsMass MediaMass ShootingsSocial Network AnalysisWerther Effect |
Author: Perry, David Title: The Ruderman White Paper On Media Coverage of Law Enforcement Use of Force and Disability: A Media Study (2013-2015) and Overview Summary: Disabled individuals make up a third to half of all people killed by law enforcement officers. Disabled individuals make up the majority of those killed in use-of-force cases that attract widespread attention. This is true both for cases deemed illegal or against policy and for those in which officers are ultimately fully exonerated. The media is ignoring the disability component of these stories, or, worse, is telling them in ways that intensify stigma and ableism. When we leave disability out of the conversation or only consider it as an individual medical problem, we miss the ways in which disability intersects with other factors that often lead to police violence. Conversely, when we include disability at the intersection of parallel social issues, we come to understand the issues better, and new solutions emerge. Contents Disability intersects with other factors such as race, class, gender, and sexuality, to magnify degrees of marginalization and increase the risk of violence. When the media ignores or mishandles a major factor, as we contend they generally do with disability, it becomes harder to effect change. This white paper focuses on the three years of media coverage of police violence and disability since the death of a young man with Down syndrome, named Ethan Saylor, in January 2013. After reviewing media coverage of eight selected cases of police violence against individuals with disabilities, the paper reveals the following patterns in the overall data: - Disability goes unmentioned or is listed as an attribute without context. - An impairment is used to evoke pity or sympathy for the victim. - A medical condition or "mental illness" is used to blame victims for their deaths. - In rare instances, we have identified thoughtful examinations of disability from within its social context that reveal the intersecting forces that lead to dangerous use-of-force incidents. Such stories point the way to better models for policing in the future. We conclude by proposing best practices for reporting on disability and police violence. Details: Boston: Ruderman Family Foundation, 2016. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2018 at: http://rudermanfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/MediaStudy-PoliceDisability_final-final.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://rudermanfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/MediaStudy-PoliceDisability_final-final.pdf Shelf Number: 149860 Keywords: Disabled PersonsMass MediaMediaPolice BrutalityPolice Use of Force |
Author: Frankham, Emma Title: Victim or Villain? Racial/ethnic differences in the portrayal of individuals with mental illness killed by police Summary: Using an intersectional approach toward race/ethnicity and mental illness, this paper examines racial/ethnic differences in how 301 individuals with mental illness killed by police during 2015 and 2016 were portrayed in news reports. Content analysis indicates that frames that portray individuals as being victims of mental illness are most common in news reports about Whites, while African-Americans are most likely to be portrayed as victims of police actions. Graphic content is much more prevalent in news reports about African-Americans, serving as a visceral reminder of the actions of police.Hispanics are most likely to be portrayed as 'villains' through discussions of substance use, criminal records, and expressions of support for police. Implications of the findings are discussed in the context of theory on the attribution of personal responsibility and the portrayal of 'victims' and 'villains' crime news, as well as research on the portrayal of individuals with mental illness and racial/ethnic minorities in crime news. Details: Unpublished paper, 2018. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2018 at: https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/v8fbx Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/v8fbx Shelf Number: 150138 Keywords: Deadly ForceMass MediaMentally Ill PersonsPolice Use of ForceRacial Disparities |
Author: Doran, Selina Evelyn Margaret Title: News media constructions and policy implications of school shootings in the United States Summary: This thesis focuses on 'school shootings' in the United States. Examined here are the news media constructions and public reactions to such incidents, as they pertain to scholarly conceptualisations of fear, moral panics and vulnerability; as well policy responses relating to emergency management in educational institutions and gun-related legislative proposals and actions. Current literature in the field defines 'school shootings' as a particular type of 'spree' or 'mass' killing, involving the murder or attempted murder of students and staff at an education institution. This phenomenon is most prolific in the United States. Two case studies were selected from a list of possible incidents based on their high profile news media coverage, policy impact and infamous natures. The examples used are the school shootings at Columbine High School, Colorado (1999) and Virginia Polytechnic University, Virginia (2007); although the developments provoked by the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School, Connecticut shooting are noted throughout. The objectives of the research are: exploring the effect of my two case studies on reshaping or entrenching current moral panic and fear debates; whether the two shootings have transformed emergency management and communication practices; the role that fear plays in the concealed carry on campus movement which arose after the Virginia Tech incident; surmising about which gun-related legislative actions are possible in future. Employed here is a theoretical framework pertaining to moral panics, fear of crime risk management, and framing of news media and policy. My methodological approach was qualitative in nature. A total of 14 interviews were conducted with experts in gun violence prevention, and emergency management and communication. Ethnographic research was carried out in the form of participant observations at a school safety symposium and a gun reform activism event. Content and critical discourse analyses were employed to assess 728 news media articles, 286 letters to the editor, comments from 32 YouTube videos, 14 policy documents and 10 public opinion polls. My original contribution to knowledge is the examination of policies that have not received much scholarly attention to date: emergency management plans, training, operation and communications to deal with the possibility of a school shooting incident occurring; the 'concealed carry on campus' movement, where students lobby to carry firearms in higher education institutions as a way to negate potential threats. Relatively uncharted territory in fear of crime research was embarked upon with an examination of YouTube comments relating to: concerns about attending school; insecurities about the ability of law enforcement to offer protection in a school shooting scenario. To offer a predictive angle to the research, the current public sentiments, framing strategies being utilised by interest groups, and Supreme Court rulings shaping the future of gun reform were debated. Further avenues for school shooting research are provided. Details: Glasgow: University of Glasgow, 2014. 295p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 10, 2018 at: http://theses.gla.ac.uk/5298/1/2014doranphd.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://theses.gla.ac.uk/5298/1/2014doranphd.pdf Shelf Number: 150145 Keywords: Concealed CarryGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceMass MediaMass ShootingsSchool SecuritySchool Shootings |
Author: Phillips, Whitney Title: The Oxygen of Amplification: Better Practices for Reporting on Extremists, Antagonists, and Manipulators Online Summary: We live in a time where new forms of power are emerging, where social and digital media are being leveraged to reconfigure the information landscape. This new domain requires journalists to take what they know about abuses of power and media manipulation in traditional information ecosystems and apply that knowledge to networked actors, such as white nationalist networks online. These actors create new journalistic stumbling blocks that transcend attempts to manipulate reporters solely to spin a beneficial narrative - which reporters are trained to decode - and instead represent a larger effort focused on spreading hateful ideology and other false and misleading narratives, with news coverage itself harnessed to fuel hate, confusion, and discord. The choices reporters and editors make about what to cover and how to cover it play a key part in regulating the amount of oxygen supplied to the falsehoods, antagonisms, and manipulations that threaten to overrun the contemporary media ecosystemand, simultaneously, threaten to undermine democratic discourse more broadly. This context demands that journalists and the newsrooms that support them examine with greater scrutiny how these actors and movements endeavor to subvert journalism norms, practices, and objectives. More importantly, journalists, editors, and publishers must determine how the journalistic rule set must be strengthened and fortified against this newest form of journalistic manipulation - in some cases through the rigorous upholding of long-standing journalistic principles, and in others, by recognizing which practices and structural limitations make reporters particularly vulnerable to manipulation. With a particular focus on coverage of internet trolls, conspiracy theories, and networks of white nationalists during and after the 2016 US presidential election, this report explores these issues through the perspectives of those who must navigate this territory every day: the journalists themselves. The report's three parts incorporate interviews with 50 individuals with intimate knowledge of the contemporary news media. Fifty-six percent of these respondents are women, 30% are people of color, and 26% are natural-born citizens of countries outside the United States, with additional insights gleaned from the scores of the more informal discussions the author - a frequent expert commentator on stories about internet trolling - has had with reporters since 2010. While each part may be read on its own, each informs and is informed by the others. Details: New York: Data & Society, 2018. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2018 at: https://datasociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/FULLREPORT_Oxygen_of_Amplification_DS.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://datasociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/FULLREPORT_Oxygen_of_Amplification_DS.pdf Shelf Number: 150414 Keywords: ExtremistsInternetJournalistsMass MediaMediaSocial MediaTerrorists |