ZU

AC1.4-Lesson update (2)

Criminology and Criminal Justice

  • Study Focus: Crime, criminal psychology, social work, policing, sociology, political science.

  • Curriculum Level: WJEC Level 3 Criminology.

Learning Outcomes

  • UNIT 1 Assessment Criteria:

    • AC1.1: Exemplify different types of crime.

    • AC1.2: Explain reasons certain crimes are unreported.

    • AC1.3: Explain consequences of unreported crime.

    • AC1.4: Describe media representation of crime.

    • AC1.5: Explain impact of media representation on public perception.

    • AC1.6: Evaluate crime data collection methods.

    • AC2.1: Evaluate campaigns for change.

    • AC2.2: Evaluate media used in campaigns.

    • AC3.1: Plan campaigns for change related to crime.

    • AC3.2: Design campaign materials.

    • AC3.3: Justify campaigns.

Media and Crime Representation

  • Types of Media Reporting Crime:

    • Traditional: Newspapers, Magazines, TV, Radio.

    • New: Social media platforms (e.g. Twitter, Facebook).

  • Objectives:

    • Identify different media forms.

    • Explain media methods in crime representation.

    • Describe media representations with examples.

Newspapers in Crime Reporting

Types of Newspapers

  • Popular Press: e.g., Daily News.

  • Quality Press: e.g., The Guardian.

  • Statistics: 1 in 8 news reports is about crime.

  • Sensationalism: Tabloids emphasize sensational stories.

Differences in Coverage

  • Tabloids: Bold titles, slang, dramatization.

  • Broadsheets: In-depth analysis, serious tone, upscale readership.

  • Criticism: Overlap in selling stories, misleading representations.

Crime in Media Portrayal

  • Types of Crimes Covered:

    • Focus on serious violent crimes and sexual offenses.

    • Majority of recorded crimes are minor property crimes.

    • Media often misrepresent demographic of offenders and victims.

  • News Values:

    • Criteria for newsworthiness include immediacy, dramatisation, and violence.

Methods of Representation

  • Sensationalism: Media exaggerates crime stories.

  • Misleading Headlines: Eye-catching, sometimes untrue.

  • Stereotypes and Scaremongering: Media groups criticized for promoting harmful stereotypes, leading to public fear.

Different Programming Forms

  • Fictional: Unrealistic portrayals e.g. Dexter, Breaking Bad.

  • Factual: Documentaries like Crimestoppers.

  • Social Media: Reporting via newsfeeds helps in crime awareness.

Crime in Electronic Gaming

  • Criticism: Trivializes violence (e.g., Grand Theft Auto).

  • Health Org Observation: Gaming disorder as a medical condition.

Music & Crime

  • Representation: Music often depicts crime or criminals, e.g. Nirvana, Gang culture in K-Pop.

Homework Preparation

  • Tasks:

    • Analyze media articles using key questions (e.g., media type, stereotypes).

    • Prepare key terms for understanding broader issues in crime portrayal.

    • Engage with peer reports to assess understanding of media representation.

Extension Activities

  • Video Assessment: Evaluate the authenticity of crime portrayals in selected media.