NCJ Number
76378
Journal
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 72 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1981) Pages: 1-51
Date Published
1981
Length
51 pages
Annotation
Problems posed by law enforcement's and the mass media's differing roles in relation to terrorist incidents are discussed, and alternatives for resolving the conflicts that may develop are considered.
Abstract
Law enforcement's commitment to resolving prolonged terrorist incidents without loss of life and property while practicing policies that will deter potential future terrorist incidents often conflicts with the mass media's commitment to dramatic event reporting and appraisal of official actions. Law enforcement's animosity toward the media increases when the media's actions appear to facilitate the terrorists' desire to publicize their cause. As the cycle of distrust and conflict between media and law enforcement personnel continues, the potential for cooperation between these important institutions decreases, along with effectiveness of their respective public services. The most effective approach for resolving this conflict within a democratic society would be self-restraint voluntarily adopted by the media. Such self-regulation might involve the following: (1) delay reporting details that could inflame an incident or provide terrorists with valuable intelligence, (2) restrict the amount of coverage in proportion to its objective news value, (3) cooperate with police and other news organizations so as to minimize abuses arising from unrestrained competition, (4) avoid becoming a party in the negotiation process and curtail direct contact with perpetrators during ongoing incidents, and (5) become a channel for the voice of reason in an attempt to discourage violence as the means for achieving political ends. Footnotes are provided.