POLICE AND THE PRESS (FROM POLICE AND THE PUBLIC, 1975 BY JOHN BROWN AND GRAHAM HOWES - SEE NCJ-31498)

• NCJ Number: 31505
• Author(s): S CHIBNALL
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Saxon House
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

THE AUTHOR ARGUES THAT THE PRESS MAY OVER-DRAMATIZE AND OVER-SIMPLIFY THE REALITY OF POLICE ACTIVITIES, BUT CONTRARY TO THE VIEWS OF MANY OFFICERS, THEY SUPPLY THE FORCE WITH A GENERALLY FAVORABLE PUBLIC IMAGE.

Abstract

TO SUBSTANTIATE THIS ARGUMENT HE EXAMINES THE POSITION OF THE POLICE IN THE GENERAL 'WORLD VIEW' OF THE PRESS, THE TYPICAL THEMES AND FRAMEWORKS OF INTERPRETATIONS TO BE FOUND IN PRESS REPRESENTATIONS OF POLICE WORK, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE POLICE AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE TYPICAL POLICE VIEW OF PRESS SENSATIONALISM AND IRRESPONSIBILITY DIFFERS FROM THE AUTHOR'S RESEARCH FINDINGS BECAUSE THE POLICEMAN'S SENSITIVITY TO CRITICISM LEADS HIM TO NOTICE NEGATIVE MEDIA REFERENCES TO THE POLICE RATHER THAN POSITIVE ONES AND TO INTERPRET AMBIGUOUS REFERENCES AS UNFAVORABLE.