NCJ Number
129998
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (1991) Pages: 67-79
Date Published
1991
Length
13 pages
Annotation
A comparison of newspaper crime coverage in the United States and in other countries (Australia, Canada, France, India, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Uganda, and United Kingdom) examines the impact of constitutional guarantees including freedom of the press and common patterns discernible in such coverage.
Abstract
A literature review suggests that constitutional and legal differences have no significant impact on conventional newspaper crime coverage between the countries in question. In fact, there are four ways in which newspaper crime coverage is basically the same in most countries. First, there is an overrepresentation of violent or sensational crimes and an underreporting of property crimes. Second, the violent crime statistics reported in newspapers do not match official crime statistics. Third, newspapers do not accurately depict police and court effectiveness in controlling crime and in punishing offenders. Finally, the author maintains that most newspaper coverage fails to educate readers on causes of crime and avoidance of personal victimization. 2 tables and 87 references (Author abstract modified)