Question of (Dis)Engagement? Historical Lessons in Promoting an Effective Public Interface to Address Current Crime Concerns

• NCJ Number: 215465
• Journal: Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2006 Pages: 69-89
• Author(s): Judith Rowbotham; Kim Stevenson
• Date Published: April 2006
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Case Study
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

Using two case studies focused on the print media, one on rape and one on burglary, this study analyzed the disengagement between the public and criminal justice officials regarding crime and crime control policies in the United Kingdom.

Abstract

The analysis concludes that the traditional role of the print media in facilitating and promoting a dialog between the public and the state regarding crime and crime control strategies has been lost in recent times, resulting in a disengagement between the public and the state. The authors argue that while the media cannot be excused for its role in this disengagement, the majority of the responsibility lies in the failure of criminal justice officials to actively engage with the public by taking advantage of opportunities provided by the media. The case examples of rape and burglary illustrate how criminal justice officials in the Victorian era capitalized on the print media to reach out to the public regarding its crime control strategies. Lessons emerging from the case examples underscore the importance of using legal professionals to address the public in ways that are comprehensible. The case examples also bring to light the responsibility of the media to avoid reporting only on scandalous cases and to report on crime in a manner that provides the facts and figures to the public in a way that will engage their minds and imaginations. The analysis focused on the print media, especially newspapers, in order to provide a historical account that would retain continuity across time periods. The two case studies employed--those of rape and burglary--were chosen because the concerns expressed about these crimes during the Victorian era (1800s) reflect those of today (2000s). As such, they provide historical illustrations of how the modern media can facilitate and promote a positive and successful interface between the public and the state regarding crime and crime control strategies. Notes, references