NCJ Number
197293
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2002 Pages: 235-247
Date Published
2002
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article addresses the effects of the media on individuals’ attitudes towards guns and gun control.
Abstract
Focusing on guns and gun control, this study discusses the effects that media consumption has on these issues. After presenting gun control as a hotly debated ideological issue, the author argues that most of the public’s knowledge about crime and justice is derived from the mass media. Examining the ability of the media to shape perceptions and mold attitudes, known as cultivation theory, this study was based on data derived from the 1995 National Opinion Survey on Crime and Justice telephone survey. Descriptive analysis of results from the 1,005 adults surveyed indicate that 42.5 percent of respondents were regular viewers of crime drama and that television was the primary crime news source, 66 percent, compared to newspapers at 20 percent. Additionally, 32.6 percent of respondents indicated that it should be easier to carry concealed weapons, with 33.7 percent arguing that being armed was the best defense again criminals. The author maintains that crime drama viewers and television news consumers are more likely to oppose gun control efforts, demonstrating that crime show viewing does influence attitudes towards guns and gun control. Tables, references