Unit 1: Changing Awareness of Crime - AC1.4 Media Representation of Crime

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering LO AC1.4 (Describe media representation of crime) across television, film, music, electronic gaming, and social media from Criminology Unit 1.

Under AC1.4 'Describe media representation of crime', which six types of media must be addressed to achieve Mark Band 2 (4–6 marks)?

Newspaper, television, film, electronic gaming, social media (blogs, social networking), and music.

According to the lecture notes, approximately what percentage of all television output is devoted to crime dramas?

Approximately $30\%$ of all TV output.

What proportion of US crime shows focus on murder, assault, and armed robbery, and what is typically portrayed as the motive?

Two-thirds ($\frac{2}{3}$) of USA crime shows consist of murder, assault, and armed robbery, with the motive usually presented as greed and calculation (contrasting with reality, where most result from domestic abuse or fights between young men).

How does television typically misrepresent property crime compared to its real-world occurrence?

On television, property crime is portrayed as serious, well-planned, high-value thefts often accompanied by violence. In reality, most are opportunist, low-value, one-off crimes such as house burglary.

How are offenders and victims typically demographicized in TV crime representations compared to real life?

TV offenders are typically portrayed as high-status, white, middle-aged males (in reality, often younger males with low status due to poverty). TV victims feature a high proportion of females to evoke audience empathy, whereas in reality, more males experience homicide.

Which two real-life police officers are cited in the lecture to challenge the TV depiction of high police clearance rates and competence?

Wayne Couzens and David Carrick (who committed 85 sexual offences against women over a 20-year period).

According to the film overview notes, what proportion of all cinema films are classified as crime movies, and how many have significant crime content?

A fifth ($\frac{1}{5}$) of all cinema films are crime movies, and up to half ($\frac{1}{2}$) have significant crime content.

What key conventions are noted regarding the representation of crime and offenders in films?

Films over-represent violent crimes (explicit and extreme), portray crimes as organized and skilled, exaggerate and romanticize criminal activity, and often portray offenders as idols.

How is the criminal heist framed in the film 'Ocean's Eleven'?

It depicts Danny Ocean orchestrating an elaborate casino heist guided by three moral rules: don't hurt anybody, don't steal from anyone who doesn't deserve it, and play like you have nothing to lose, presenting the offender as charismatic and skilled.

What real-life figures and criminal activities are portrayed in the film 'Legend'?

The story of London's notorious gangster twins, Ronnie and Reggie Kray, highlighting their rise through the criminal underworld using violence and intimidation.

What legal restriction was placed on the UK drill group 1011 in 2018 regarding their music?

A 2018 court order banned members of the drill group 1011 from mentioning injury or death in their music and required them to notify the police before releasing any new material.

How do gangster rap, hip-hop, and advertising contribute to making crime appear fashionable?

They combine images of street-hustler criminality with luxury goods and designer gear, marketing crime to young people as edgy, glamorous, and cool.

What criminal case involving neo-Nazi music occurred in June 2025?

A family was jailed for performing and distributing neo-Nazi music that incited racist violence and used white supremacist language under the band name 'Embers of an Empire'.

According to statistics cited from Harvard Health, what percentage of American teenagers play video games, and how many of these games contain violence?

$97\%$ of American teenagers play video games, $66\%$ of these games contain violent content, and $85\%$ or more of video games on the market contain some form of violence.

What medical condition was defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018 regarding video games?

"Gaming Disorder," defined as a condition involving a loss of control over gaming such that it takes priority over a gamer's everyday life.

What system did video game publisher Ubisoft implement to tackle toxic gaming and potential crimes?

A unique police alert system that allows staff (e.g., in Newcastle) to alert law enforcement if a threat to life or potential serious harm is detected online.

How can social media be used positively by police and the public for crime prevention?

Facilitating real-time communication during incidents, searching for incriminating evidence (such as messages and selfies), appealing for witnesses by sharing CCTV footage, and alerting the public to victimization risks (e.g., Kent Police using #Damning evidence).

How did UK police utilize TikTok during the far-right riots in August 2024?

Police monitored TikTok disorder footage reaching hundreds of thousands of viewers to gather evidence of criminality and identify the faces of people committing offences.

What are 'performance crimes' and new criminal activities enabled by social media?

'Performance crimes' involve offenders boasting about their illegal acts online; social media also facilitates new crimes such as revenge porn, cyberbullying, doxxing, sextortion, scamming teenage 'money mules', and tracking high-profile victims (such as the Kim Kardashian robbery).

Why is Dame Doreen Lawrence recognized during Black History Month in relation to criminal justice reform?

For her campaigning following the racist murder of her son Stephen Lawrence, which exposed institutional racism within the UK police and led to the Macpherson Report.