Criminal Justice: Myths, Media, Public Opinion and the Police Departments - Essay Example

What is the projected image of crime-fighting cops who live to protect and serve? The anomaly shown to the public is an unrealistic image created by the media that doesn’t take into account the human element involved in policing. (socyberty.com/social-sciences 2011). Police presence in any situation, in most cases, is a crime prevention measure. While the police do fight crime, the media does not always depict the police in a realistic light. The police are shown as being in a position to sacrifice their lives to uphold and enforce the law; however, this label is a real but over-emphasized depiction. As police go through the day-to-day deed of fighting crime, the media does not report the ordinary times between events. (Dantzker, 2003). Events that occur without inflated incidents will be less likely to be noted by the media due to a lack of interest or drama involved in viewers. (socyberty.com/ 2011).

Television plays an important role in the myths associated with police crime fighters. According to Dr. Podlas, the overall pattern of television programs that viewers are exposed to cultivates a common perception of reality. (Podlas 2006). “The “reality” tends to mirror what viewers see on the TV screen.” He contends that people who watch a great deal of television will see the real world as a match to television. (Podlas 2006). The news media do overdramatize crime. (C. Michael, 2009). Examples of over-dramatization are such things as racial and ethnic crimes. Television news stories about drugs show blacks 50 percent of the time and white 32 percent of the time. However, statistics show that only 15 percent of illegal drug users in the US are black and 70 percent are white. Newspapers also focus their attention on white crime victims even though most violent crimes are interracial. (C.Michael 2009). The media manipulates reports through misleading information or bias.

They randomly select people to interview who support the reporter’s view. Also, vital information, such as history and background information, is purposely deleted from a crime story. (C.Michael, 2009). Over-dramatization or not accurately reporting the information presents a false perception to the public. “Critics say that public officials are more influenced by a small, wealthy, powerful elite than by the general public.” (C. Michael, 2009). Other examples of false opinions interjected on the public by the media are that, crime is rampant, reported crimes are overly violent, and people of color are more likely to be involved in drugs and crime and less likely to be victims. Media also instills the thought that teenagers are heavily involved in violent crime when only 1 percent are arrested annually for violent crimes. (C.Michael, 2009). Through media reports the victim is usually seen as being righteous, moral, or innocent.

All Police Departments have policies and procedures to follow in dealing with the media. “A newspaper’s primary responsibility is to report the news by gathering information and/or taking photographs.” (City of Boston 2007). In a democratic society, the relationship between the police and the media is meant to complement rather than be detrimental. The media needs information about public safety issues and they can give an excellent path for keeping the public informed of police tasks and problems. During a criminal investigation, the police department has three major responsibilities, 1. To bring the operation at hand to a successful conclusion, 2. To protect the constitutional rights of the accused persons, and 3. To cooperate with media to relay factual information. (City of Boston 2007).

By forming and following a set of rules and procedures the police department is doing its part in establishing a cooperative environment for the accused as well as maintaining police operations and a positive public demeanor. When interviews are requested of the Police Department, the OMR or Office of Media Relations considers these. (City of Boston, 2007). Reporters have the right to interview anyone they want and if they don’t get the correct answers they want, they will go somewhere else to get the answers. Therefore, the Police Department needs to maintain a cooperative relationship with the media. (Freeo, 2011).

Police have been unrealistically depicted as crime-fighting, crime-stopping, and super inhuman cops. The media, unfortunately, controls what our society sees, and hears. Read More