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Finish Overview of Criminology Crime and the Media

Finish Overview of Criminology Crime and the Media . Empirical Evidence is the KEY. Theories attempt to demonstrate cause-effect Criteria for causation in social science using a poverty  crime example Time ordering: poverty happens before crime Correlation: poverty is related to crime

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Finish Overview of Criminology Crime and the Media

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  1. Finish Overview of Criminology Crime and the Media

  2. Empirical Evidence is the KEY • Theories attempt to demonstrate cause-effect • Criteria for causation in social science using a poverty  crime example • Time ordering: poverty happens before crime • Correlation: poverty is related to crime • Relationship is not spurious: the two are not related because of a third factor such as low self-control

  3. Methods for generating evidence • Experiment • Key is randomly assigned groups • Only factor that effects outcome is group difference at start of experiment • Limit = artificial nature

  4. Experimental Design

  5. Methods for generating evidence II • Non-experimental • Survey research • Cross sectional • Longitudinal • Limit = how to rule out spuriousness • Upside = ask whatever you want

  6. Ideology in Criminology • Walter Miller • Ideology is the “permanent hidden agenda of Criminal Justice” • What is “Ideology?” • American Political Ideology • Liberal/Progressive Ideology • Conservative Ideology • Radical Ideology

  7. Dominant Ideologies in U.S. Value order/stability, respect for authority People get what they deserve Crime caused by poor choice (Free will) Value equal opportunities and individual rights Success/failure depends on outside forces and where you start Crime is caused by outside influences CONSERVATIES LIBERALS

  8. Implications of Ideology for Crime and Justice • Conservatives tend to fit with “Classical School” • “Neo-Classical” = deterrence, incapacitation • James Q. Wilson’s “policy analysis” • Liberal/Progressive fit with positive school • Favor decriminalizing some acts • “Root causes” of crime only fixed by social change • Rehabilitation may be possible • Elliott Currie = ample evidence that government can address social ills and prevent crime • Radical = Marxist/conflict theory

  9. Ideology as “hidden agenda” • Many policies and programs are driven more by ideology than empirical evidence • Intensive supervision probation (conservatives) • Restorative justice (liberals)

  10. The “Martinson Report” (MR) • The “Martinson Report” was review of studies on rehabilitation published in the early 1970s • Concluded that not much is working • Used by politicians as the reason for abandoning rehab • Social Context of the 1960s • Hippies, Watergate, Attica, Viet Nam, Kent State… • Conservatives? SKY IS FALLING • Liberals? Cannot trust the government • Reality = liberals and conservatives were both “ready” to pull the plug on rehabilitation

  11. The Limits of Empirical Evidence • Criminologists tend to be cautions with conclusions • All studies are flawed in some way • Politicians and public tend to “over generalize” from a single study • This can lead to bad policy • RAND Felony Probation study • Domestic Violence Experiments

  12. Good theory makes good policy… • In a purely objective, scientific world, programs and policies would flow from empirically supported theories of crime • Unfortunately, people often “shoot from hip” • Policy without Theory • The “panacea” problem: scared straight, intensive probation, boot camps, warm and fuzzy circle… • Some hope in “evidence-based” movement • Multisystemic Therapy (MST) • Targets for change = parental supervision, delinquent friends, reducing rewards for deviance…

  13. Crime and the Media Public opinion Class survey results

  14. Criminology vs. Other Science • How many “crime related” T.V. shows can you name off the top of your head? • Crime and the CJS on T.V. news or newspapers? • Crime and the CJS in movies and fiction books? • How does this compare to biology, psychology, or physics?

  15. Who Cares? • People get information about most things from the internet, TV, newspaper, and movies • BUT—with regard to crime, the question becomes, “How accurately does the media reflect crime, criminals, and the criminal justice system?” • “Back stage” behavior

  16. Sources of Media Bias—or “Reasons for Skepticism” • Newspapers/T.V./internet news • Crime in general captures audiences • Violent crime, especially stranger violence • “If it bleeds it leads” • Politicians • “Get tough” on crime = political payoff • Entertainment • Need for “excitement” belies accurate portrayal of criminals and criminal justice system • Think “COPS”

  17. Types of Distortion • Creation of “crime waves” • Attention to violent crime • What about “white collar crime?” • Creating/Spreading Crime Myths • Halloween psychopaths • The Serial Killer Epidemic • Satanic Daycare

  18. Class Survey: Over Past 20 Years, Crime Has…

  19. What percent of homicide caused by serial killers?

  20. What percent of those found guilty had a trial (not plea)?

  21. Children poisoned by strangers with Halloween candy in past 20 years?

  22. Children abducted by stranger in typical year in U.S.

  23. Media and Crime: Summary • Tendency to distort reality: • Political rhetoric • If it bleeds it leads (other types of crime?) • Overemphasis on crime (crime waves) • An “effective” criminal justice system • Why is any of this important • Dorthy and W.I. Thomas (1928), if people believe it, it is “real in its consequences.”

  24. Fear of Crime • Why is “fear of crime” important? • How fearful are Americans? • Are some Americans more fearful than others? • Structural Factors (size of town/city) • Individual Factors (age, race, gender)

  25. Class Survey, % Afraid of Victimization by Gender

  26. Attitudes Towards Punishment • When polling questions are broad/general, it appears that Americans are punitive and punishment oriented: • Do you support the death penalty for convicted murderers? (75% yes) • In general, do you think the courts in this country deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? (80% not harsh enough). (Our Class = 50% not harsh enough) • Consistency across race, class, other factors • BUT: Adding complexity to the questions affects answers

  27. More Complex Questions • Class Survey Responses • Do you support the Death Penalty? • 64% • If given the option of “life without parole?“ • 54% • Survey of Ohio residents about 3 Strikes legislation • 90% of Ohio residents supported 3 Strikes in general • Only 17% choose life in prison as a punishment when given specific cases

  28. What about “Rehabilitation” or Prevention? • Again, public attitudes are complex • Does the public want their pound of flesh? • YES, believe in retribution and deterrence • Does the public also want rehabilitation? • YES, especially for drug/property offenses • Is the public willing to use tax dollars for prevention? • YES

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