Media Process and the Social Construction of Crime

First published in 1995. One of the most pervasive forms of social control in our society is the mass media. The public learns from television newspapers magazines movies and books what is happening in the world and how to interpret it. The problem however is that full or complete interpretations of reality are not presented. In short reality itself clear and unadorned is not to be found in the information provided by the media. Instead media presentations consist of those various viewpoints that succeed in capturing the minds and imaginations of the masses or in terms of the 1992 presidential campaign that successfully put the winning spin on information. Barak and others believe that criminologists should participate in the various media presentations of crime and justice. By bringing their knowledge to bear on media presentations criminologists can help make some news more representative and less distorted of the social reality of crime.