Misrepresentation of Crime by Media: Societal Impacts and Analysis

This essay delves into the ways in which the media misrepresents the nature of crime, a significant social concern in the modern era. It examines how media outlets, including television, news, and online platforms, shape public perception, often prioritizing sensationalism over accurate representation. The essay highlights the inaccuracies in crime reporting, emphasizing the disparity between media coverage of violent crimes versus property crimes, and how this misrepresentation can impact societal views and potentially encourage aggressive behaviors. It references crime statistics to illustrate the discrepancy between reported crimes and actual crime rates, arguing that the media's focus on specific types of crime, often for entertainment purposes, can lead to a distorted understanding of criminal activity. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for a more balanced and accurate portrayal of crime by the media to mitigate its negative impacts on society.

In what way does the media misrepresent
the nature of crime

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Presentation of misleading information by media on crime leads to misrepresentation of misconducts
which is the biggest social concern in modern era. The essay will outline inaccuracy of information
presented by media over occurring crimes. Media institutions are the most influential sources in digital
era where majority actions of society are supported by media content.
MAIN BODY
Media are the communication outlets which delivers and store information on every positive and
negative activities of society. Public perception is highly influenced by the information encouraged by
media but is not supported by statistic of enforced law against crime in country (McGregor, 2017). Media
sources comprise television, news reporting, video, computer games and public opinion. Institutions are
focused on targeting large proportion of people at same time and therefore media communicates stories to
which viewers familiar. The channels promote information and content which are threat to general
community regardless of its impact on mind and acts of vulnerable people. Apparently, news is not only
the type of media which misrepresents specific information but the misleading of content is initiated from
movies, television series, web series, etc.
Television is form of entertainment where programmers aim at forming content to satisfy viewers
requirements where mis presentation of crime affect large proportion of society (The portrayal of violence
in the media: impacts and implications for policy, 1996). Further, mass media cannot report each crime or
incidents and therefore agenda of media is to present overwhelming information which makes news
worthy regardless of false or true impression of content. On the other hand, one crucial fact of
misrepresentation of information by media is motive of creating awareness where the channels promote
information to provide deeper understanding over the misconducts which is often mis leaded by viewers.
According to Roberts, 2017, it is been stated that media presents information for selective crime
and generally reported crimes are ignored by media and agenda of institution is targeting large number of
people regardless of misconducts and new values. For example, one rape incidents make local newspaper
but serial rapist become national story. The best example of misrepresentation of information by mass
media is large percentage of property crime but still media institutions choose to present violent crime.
The information by media is misrepresented and exaggerated because the institutions are focused
on giving exposure to unethical activities in form of entertainment and not with the motive of cause of
unethical behaviour which is actual source of concern. According to Stoneham, 2014, it is been stated that
portray of crime by media is the major cause of increasing crime and violence in society. The argument
was supported with example of violence and crime shown on television for the purpose of entertainment
afterwards results in aggressive behaviours of people in society.

On screen presentation of crime by media is leading towards societal destruction because there are
wide range of variable which contributes to violent behaviour of people. For example, some people
imitate what is shown on television or in any video. In accordance with this, it can be said that news
reinforced by media trigger behaviour of aggressive people. In accordance with Crime Statistics
Australia, 2019, it can be articulated that property misconduct in Australia are way more but still
homicides crimes and sexual harassments are prominent for media. The data shows that highest volume
of recorded crime shows that there were 176153 unlawful entry with intent in 2017 and 51869 motor
vehicle theft where sexual assault was 24957 and still broadcasting institutions choose to communicate
information about violent crimes which is hindering safety of society by encouraging aggression.
However, television fierceness is one of the causes of increasing aggression and crimes in
Australian society because perpetrators of acts feels rewarded when they remain unpunished for their
actions. The communication of inappropriate content and aggressive actions of criminals becomes
justified for the viewer because of misrepresentation of information by media (Henry, 2016). Thus, it can
be said that broadcasted criminal activities pleases viewer and motivates perpetrator for causing harm.
Presentation of misconducts by media trigger existing feelings of people with aggressive behaviour which
is the major reason behind increasing crime in Australian society.
CONCLUSION
The essay summarized about misrepresentation of information by media sources over crime which is
a major social concern in modern era. From study, it is been identified that focus of media channels is on
making news worthy regardless of right or wrong of content. Further, essay outlined about increasing
property crime in Australia but still prominent interest of media in presenting crime which is cause of
concerns as it encourages acts of perpetrators.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Henry, N., & Powell, A. (2016). Sexual violence in the digital age: The scope and limits of criminal
law. Social & Legal Studies. 25(4). 397-418.
McGregor, J. (2017). Crime, news, and the media. In the Palgrave handbook of Australian and New
Zealand criminology, crime and justice (pp. 81-94). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Roberts, P., & McMillan, N. (2017). For criminology in international criminal justice. In The Criminology
of War (pp. 3-26). Routledge.
Stoneham, M., Goodman, J., & Daube, M. (2014). The portrayal of Indigenous health in selected
Australian media. The International Indigenous Policy Journal. 5(1). 1-13.
Online
Crime Statistics Australia. (2019). [Online]. Available through: <
http://www.crimestats.aic.gov.au/facts_figures/1_victims/ >.
The portrayal of violence in the media: impacts and implications for policy. (1996). [Online]. Available
through: < https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi55 >.