Crime in the Media
A case study on television shows
What is the purpose of
the show?
Dexter works for the Miami Metro PD
as a blood spatter analyst
He is a devoted father, brother,
husband, and friend
In his spare time, he enjoys golfing,
boating, fishing, and killing people
Dexter is a serial killer who targets
criminals who have escaped the justice
system
The show is based around Dexter
trying to keep his dark side a secret
from those around him, while still
fulfilling his own need to kill
How is crime represented in the show?
Negatively: We see how acts of crime effect the victims, the police,
and the world around us
Casually: Ridding the world of criminals is just a regular part of
Dexter’s life. It’s how he feels normal.
Examples of street crimes, organized crime, and political crime
How might the media skew
statistics on Crime?
Statistically, crime rates
are dropping
Shows such as Dexter
need a new story every
episode
New episode means new
criminal act
Make is seem as though
major criminal offences
take place every day,
everywhere
How does television impact
the public’s perception of
crime?
It depends on who is doing the
crime
Dexter is a serial killer, but he is
seen as good
The other criminals in the show
are the ones that deserve to pay
for what they have done
There is a time and a place for
justice to be served
How could the
media/television perpetuate
crime?
In the case of Dexter, they make is look easy.
Many shows demonstrate how criminals go wrong
(messy work, etc.)
He has never been officially caught, and has only been
suspected a few times
Anyone could be a criminal
What sets us apart from these people?
Criminal Justice System
What does in include?
The Police
The Courts
Prison
The Police
They are the concrete extension of the State to
provide for social order
Maintain peace in the community
How are all the functions tied together?
Authority
Non-negotiable force
Discretion
The Courts
They decide the guilt or innocence of those
accused of committing a crime
Punishment- any action designed to deprive a
person of things of value (including liberty)
because of some offense the person is thought
to have committed
Prison
The functions of a prison:
Retribution (Imposes a penalty on the offender)
Social Protection (He or she cannot commit crime anymore)
Rehabilitation (Return offenders to the community as law
abiding citizens)
Deterrence (Reduce criminal activity by instilling a fear of
punishment)
Restorative Justice
To seek to return the focus of the justice system to repairing
the harm that has been done to the victim and the
community
To reconcile offenders with those they have harmed
“Circle Sentencing” Used in aboriginal communities,
bringing the offender, the victim and the community
together
“Family Group Conferencing” for young people linked to
the victim and the family members
Community Corrections- responsibility for correction back
to the community and minimizes the separation of the
offender from society
Crime & Deviance in the Future
The present system cannot solve that problem of crime
Need more structural solutions like:
Better educational solutions
Affordable housing
More equality
Less discrimination
Socially productive activities