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.