Fear of Crime, Media Coverage, and Moral Panics

Flashcards reviewing key concepts, definitions, and examples from the lecture on fear of crime, moral panics, media representations, and victimization.

What is the escalating loop between media consumption and the fear of crime?

Media consumption increases fear of crime, causing people to stay home more, which leads to increased media consumption and a further increase in fear.

What are examples of sensationalist language used by news media in crime coverage?

Terms such as slaughter, reign of terror, mob attack, and helter-skelter world.

What biological language is commonly used by media to describe crime?

Terms such as pandemic, epidemic, virus, and outbreak.

How does the pandemic crime reporting in Chicago illustrate news media's lack of context?

Although there was a rise in crime in Chicago during the pandemic, crime rates were not at their highest; reporting the rise without historical context skewed the public perception of crime rates.

What is deviancy amplification and how do targeted individuals respond to it?

Deviancy amplification occurs when media focuses on 'deviant' behaviour (such as wearing hoodies or trench coats) and amplifies it so people notice it more. In response, targeted individuals either lean into the stereotype or counter it.

What are the 5 key concepts of a moral panic?

1. Concern (heightened worry created by media), 2. Disproportionality (focusing on something more than necessary), 3. Hostility (mistreatment of other people), 4. Consensus (widespread agreement that a threat is real), and 5. Volatility (sudden short-term appearance and disappearance of crimes/social problems).

Is a moral panic centered on a single event or a broader topic?

A moral panic is centered on a particular topic, not just one event.

How did the 1970s London 'crime wave' of muggings demonstrate the policy consequences of a moral panic?

Media stories encouraged politicians to devote more police resources to catching muggers, leading to more arrests, convictions, and higher sentences. However, the actual number of robberies did not change throughout the entire 'war on mugging.'

What is the function of Stanley Cohen's notion of moral panic and the 'rising crime rate equation'?

It explains how the belief that a specific crime is on the rise justifies increased policing, which creates more arrests and makes it appear that crime is rising even when it is not, maintaining the status quo by building support for policing.

How is 'Moral Panic' defined in the lecture text?

a phenomena social construccfted by the media, politicians, and moral entrepreneurs, in which a certain people or groups are labelled or stigmatized as the cause of a perceived social problem, resulting in widespread public alarm.

How is a 'Moral entrepreneur' defined in the lecture text?

A person, gorup, or organization that takes the lead in identifying certain behaviour as deviant and in need of legal sanctions

How is 'Stereotyping' defined in the lecture text?

the simplistic and often belittling representation of a person or group using exaggerations of traits that the larger groups supposedly possesses.

How are 'Discourses' defined in the lecture text?

forms of language, representation, and practices; how meaning is created and shared. Discourses take place within specific cultural and historical contexts.

How are racialized populations and Black offenders depicted in media crime stories?

They are commonly represented in derogatory and unflattering ways, receiving higher coverage than White offenders, and are frequently portrayed as violent, aggressive, and criminal.

How do media discourses portray youth and young offenders?

They are portrayed as 'dangerous others' who are prone to violence and crime without considering consequences, often allegedly influenced by violent music or video games.

How are female offenders constructed in media depictions?

Female offenders are seen as predatory or promiscuous, and are harshly judged for departing from stereotypical feminine ideals like being passive, self-restrained, or pretty.

Who proposed the concept of the 'ideal victim' and how is it defined?

Norwegian criminologist Nils Christie defined the 'ideal victim' as a 'person or category of individuals who, when hit by crime, most readily are given the complete and legitimate status of being a victim.'

How does media portrayal distinguish between 'innocent' and 'blameworthy' female victims?

'Innocent' victims are constructed as submissive and passive recipients of male violence, whereas 'blameworthy' victims are constructed as responsible for their own victimization.

How are police depicted in news media, and what real-world effects do these depictions have?

Police are depicted as heroic, hypercompetent, hardworking, and 'tough on crime.' These portrayals act as informal recruitment/training materials, exaggerate performance expectations, and conceal police brutality, power abuses, or incompetence.