NCJ Number
60804
Journal
Kriminologisches Journal Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Dated: (1978) Pages: 215-223
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
TEN THESES ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONCEPTIONS OF CRIME AND THE EVERYDAY REALITY OF CRIME ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
IT IS ASSERTED FIRST THAT SOCIAL SCIENTISTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERESTS, EXAGGERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INFLUENCE OF MEDIA CRIME REPORTS AND PROGRAMS ON AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR AND ASSUME THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE UNABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE REAL AND THE IMAGINARY. THE SECOND THESIS STATES THAT SOCIAL LIFE TRANSPIRES ON TWO REALITY LEVELS, EVERYDAY REALITY AND VARIOUS LEVELS OF UNREALITY; THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN WORD AND DEED CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE INTERPLAY OF THESE LEVELS. THIRD, A SPECIAL CHARACTERISTIC OF UNREALITY IS THE FALSE FEELING OF CONTROL OVER ONE'S OWN DESTINY AND OF SUPERIORITY, FREQUENTLY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. FOURTH, MANY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS APPEAL TO THIS LEVEL OF UNREALITY BECAUSE THE ARTICLES HAVE NO REAL CONTENT AND ONLY SERVE THE PURPOSE OF ENTERTAINMENT. FIFTH, SUCH MEDIA PASS OF UNREALITY AS REAL EVENTS; INTELLECTUALS AND POLITICIANS WHO TAKE THE CONTENTS MORE SERIOUSLY THAN THE MAN ON THE STREET OVERESTIMATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 'PUBLIC OPINION' CONVEYED. SIXTH, THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE MEDIA RESULT BECAUSE PARTICULAR PEOPLE BEING TO REACT ON THE LEVEL OF MEDIA REALITY, E.G., BY CALLING IN FALSE BANK BOMB THREATS AFTER REPORTS ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY. SEVENTH, EVEN WITHOUT SUCH REACTION, IT REMAINS UNCLEAR HOW CONSUMERS ARE TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN PERCEIVED AND REPORTED REALITIES. EIGHTH, THE LEVEL OF DELUSIVE SELF-IMPORTANCE BECOMES INCREASINGLY NECESSARY WHEN INDIVIDUALS ARE ACTUALLY POWERLESS AND UNABLE TO FATHOM REALITY. NINTH, THE SELF-IMPORTANCE ATTITUDE CAN BE USED POLITICALLY WHEN DECLARED ' REALISTIC,' FOR INDIVIDUALS CAN THEN BE ENCOURAGED TO ACT OUT THEIR DELUSIONS BY SUPPORTING AN EXISTING POWER APPARATUS. FINALLY, MEDIA ALONE SHOULD NOT BE BLAMED, BECAUSE THEY ARE ECONOMICALLY DEPENDENT AND HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO INFORMATION FROM SUCH SOURCES AS THE POLICE. RATHER THAN ATTACKING CONTENTS OF MEDIA REPORTS, CRITICS SHOULD DIFFERENTIATE REALITY LEVELS. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)