Crime and Society : The Role of the Media - Essay Example

Media has given an opportunity regardless of status discrimination to all for a global exchange of information which not only intermix the cultural values, but have a great impact on social behavior of an individual. In short, Media has an art of changing one's perspective and ideology. It is now taken as a defining characteristics by the masses , for whom media is the only source of building relationship with the world out there. Role Of Media in Society Media is considered as the most powerful tool in building up a society.

It is a responsibility of Media to create awareness among the people and to bring out the truth, not only over political issues but on issues like crimes and social challenges which one faces in everyday life. It is undeniable that media faces a lot of pressure from external and internal bodies to subside the truth and to present a fake piece of gossip if affecting any of the famous personal having a strong backup for protection. Media's Accuracy towards Public or Deviant Behavior: An outlook of this issue raises a question that to what extent does the media accurately report crime and deviant behavior?

It is believed that the gap between public and the social issues like crime and victimization is filled by media which has an authority to address the masses. It is not necessary that media presents the view of reality as media can easily deviate the truth by presenting the crime in their desired mode. Crime and Victimization is a social constructed issue which is approached to masses through media and these issues can easily be mediatized for personal gains. Media infuse a theory of what to think about rather then how to think and this leads to a popular mind set of people following media blindly.

Therefore media is a key for Policy-makers to expose the severity of crime to an extent to hide their lacking or to protect their ownership from a bad name.(Jewkes, Y. (2004) Crime and the Media, London) (Greer 2005) theorizes that a extremity of crime or victimization can be skimmed as approach to original victims is not possible by the masses so it is a dice which media toss it according to the requirement of a situation. However, media has generated a fear of crime and victimization which somehow proved to be affective as fear of getting exposed has scared street criminals from attempting a crime in public.

But it is considerable that if this essence is not further followed or kept upto the mark can result adversely. Media has also organized anti-crime campaigns to promote peace and eradicate criminal violence from the society as using fear as a marketing techniques which has affected the conduct of a criminal in a society in a far positive manner.(Surette, Ray (1998 )   Media's powerful influence on the public's perception: The connection between media and the public is the portrayal of an issue whether a piece of news or crime acknowledgement.

Media has its course to influence public's attitudes towards criminal justice by infusing and re instilling racial stereotypes and linking race to crime. Media scholars like joseph Cappella and Kathleen Hall Jamieson advocated that media is the most influencial and pro towards democracy. They stand upon their statement and present various examples that media has protected and raised issues for the people who were