NCJ Number
80972
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 9 Issue: 6 Dated: (1981) Pages: 431-439
Date Published
1981
Length
9 pages
Annotation
It is the contention of this article that this film and the accompanying media coverage of it convey an ideological message concerning crime and criminals. Crime is presented as a matter of individual choice that has little relationship to any social variables. Criminals are portrayed in a one-dimensional manner as evil, vicious, and barely human. The documentary is a success because these images of crime and criminals conform to existing stereotypes. Based on these distorted images, the film and media coverage 'market' a simplistic solution to crime that is compatible with their presentation of the crime problem.
Abstract
One of the more widely publicized presentations about crime is 'Scared Straight,' a documentary about a program in which juveniles visit inmates in a New Jersey penitentiary. (Author abstract)