Post on 23-Dec-2015
Media Literacy Media Construct our society (Normative
reflexivity (“drug good” or “Drugs bad”) Media contain ideological and value
messages Individuals construct their own meanings
from media The human brain processes moving images
different than text Media is most powerful when it operates on
an emotional level
Criminal Justice:An Institution of Social ControlThere are a variety of responses to crime in the United States, from punishment to prevention.
Media is about “Prevention” but not the way you initially think:
1. Functional deviance: society against “other”
Means of profit (1. sell goods, 2. sell media)
2.
Criminal Justice:An Institution of Social Control
Criminal justice is an institution of social control, as are:
– The family– Schools– Organized religion– The media– The law
institution of social control
An organization that persuades people, through subtle and not-so-subtle means, to abide by the
dominant values of society.
Criminal justice differs because:– It is concerned only with behavior that
is actually criminal.
– It is society’s “last line of defense.”
Criminal Justice:An Institution of Social Control
Crime in real terms
Most police calls involve responding to complaints of disturbances:• Domestic quarrels• Neighbor squabbles• Gang altercations• Loud music
Pre-trial StagesAbout 90 percent of criminal defendants plead guilty to the charges against them, in an arrangement called plea bargaining.
plea bargainingThe practice whereby a specific sentence is imposed if the accused pleads guilty to an agreed-upon charge or charges instead of going to trial.
Trial 10 percent of criminal cases go to trial.
5 percent of criminal cases are decided in a bench trial.
bench trial
A trial before a judge, without a jury.
Trial• If the defendant is
found guilty as charged
• The judge (and sometimes the jury) begins to consider a sentence.
If the defendant is found not guilty
The defendant is released.
CorrectionsCurrently, five types of punishment are used in the United States and Canada:
–Fines–Probation–Intermediate punishments (Community service)–Imprisonment–Death
Percentage of trials that make up the types of courtroom dramas that we see on TV : 1 - 2%
The Police The Police recognise the power of the
media, and have at times utilised this power “An enduring, if not ecstatically happy,
marriage” between the police and the media (Sir Robert Mark, 1971)
The media is generally supportive of the police
Police corruption seen as “one bad apple” The Police see themselves as the subject of
criticism “Without doubt the most abused, the most
unfairly criticised ad the most silent minority in this country” Sir Robert Mark (1974)
Explanations for Media coverage Structural constraints on media
Focus on court-based stories emphasises the success of the police
Police provide most information to the media
“News” is inherently event-dependent: little time is allowed for deeper analysis (trends, social causes etc.)
TV crews located behind police lines
Explanations for Media coverage Journalists’ Professional Ideology
(Chibnall)
Immediacy Titillation
Dramatisation Conventionalism
Personalisation Structured Access
Simplification Novelty
Laissez-Faire Model The media is driven by demand economics Media focus on sensationalist, prurient, and
moralistic stories reflects the desires of the general public
Ignores other influences (e.g. government)
Explanations for Media coverage
Political Ideology The press is predominantly conservative The media aim to strike a ‘middle
ground’ between mainstream political perspectives i.e. a relativistic stance
Hegemony: The media operates to provide consent and support for the State’s actions e.g. Stuart Hall et al. “Policing the Crisis”
Figure 1Substance Appearance in Popular Movies and Songs
22%18%
89%
3%
93%
17%
98%
27%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Movies Popular Songs
Illicit drugs Tobacco Alcohol Any substance
Percentages reflect the number of movies (200 total) and songs (1,000 total) in which substances appeared, whether or not they were used.
Figure 2Percentage of Movies and Songs Associating Illicit Drug Use With:
15%
6%
30%
15%
21%
15%
52%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
20%
30%
20%
6%
2%
3%
81%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
MoviesPopular Songs
Wealth or luxury
Sexual activity
Crime or violence
Anti-use statement
Refusal to use
Pro-use statement or advocacy of use
No consequence to user
Wealth or luxury
Sexual activity
Crime or violence
Anti-use statement
Refusal to use
Pro-use statement or advocacy of use
No consequence to user
Based on the 33 movies and 156 songs that portrayed illicit drug use.
Figure 3Percentage of Movies and Songs Associating Alcohol Use With:
34%
19%
37%
9%
14%
20%
57%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Based on the 183 movies and 149 songs that portrayed alcohol use.
24%
34%
13%
3%
5%
1%
91%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
MoviesPopular Songs
Wealth or luxury
Sexual activity
Crime or violence
Anti-use statement
Refusal to use
Pro-use statement or advocacy of use
No consequence to user
Wealth or luxury
Sexual activity
Crime or violence
Anti-use statement
Refusal to use
Pro-use statement or advocacy of use
No consequence to user
Figure 4Percentage of Songs and 5-Minute Movie Segments
with Substance Appearance
2%
18%
31%
17%24%
3%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Movies Popular Songs
Illicit Drugs Alcohol Tobacco
In order to measure the concentration of substance appearances within movies, each movie was divided into 5-minute segments, and each segment examined separately for substances. The height of the columns above represents the percentage of all 5-minute movie segments (4,372) or songs (1,000) that contained a substance appearance. The 2% above therefore means that illicit drugs appeared one or more times in the 4,372 movie segments. The percentages refer to the intervals, not the number of appearances.
Figure 5Substance Use in G or PG, PG-13, and R-Rated Movies
Percentages based on 38 G or PG, 65 PG-13, and 97 R-rated movies.
0%
17%20%
79%82%
92%
76%
97%94%
18%14%
18%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
G or PG PG-13 R
Illicit drugs Tobacco Alcohol Other legal drugs
Figure 6Substance Use in Movies by Genre
10%13%
18%
83%89% 89%88%
93% 93%
12%17%
20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Action Adventure Comedy Drama
Illicit drugs Tobacco Alcohol Other legal drugs
Percentages based on 60 Action Adventures, 69 Comedies, and 71 Dramas.
Figure 7Substance Use by Age of Major Characters
8% 6%2%
17%
26% 25%22%
57% 57%
4% 5% 5%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
under 18 years 18-39 years 40 years and older
Illicit drugs Tobacco Alcohol Other legal drugs
Percentages based on 79 major characters under 18 years, 473 characters between 18 and 39, and 196 characters 40 and older.
66%
78% 78%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
85%
45%
12%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Figure 8Types of Illicit Drugs, Tobacco, and Alcohol in Movies
51%
2%
33%
12%12%12%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Mar
ijuan
a
Pow
der
coca
ine
Hal
luci
noge
ns
He r
o in
o r o
the r
op i
a te s
Mis
cella
neou
s ot
her
Cig
aret
tes
Cig
ars
Pip
es o
r ch
e win
g to
bac c
o
Bee
r
Percentage of movies with illicit drugs that show:
Percentage of movies with tobacco portrayals that show use of:
Cra
ck c
ocai
nePercentage of movies with alcohol portrayals that show use of:
Based on 43 movies in which illicit drugs appeared, 172 movies portraying tobacco use, and 183 movies portraying alcohol use. Percentages sum to more than 100% because multiple substances appeared in the same movie.
Win
e or
ch
ampa
gne
Ha r
d li q
u or/
m
ixe d
dr in
ks
Figure 9Percentage of Songs with Substance References by Genre
63%
11% 11% 9%
1%
47%
10% 12%
4%
13%
75%
20% 20%
12% 14%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Rap Alternative Hot-100 Heavy Metal Country-Western
Illicit drug references Alcohol references Either drugs or alcohol
Based on 212 Rap songs, 211 Alternative Rock, 212 Hot-100, 211 Heavy Metal, and 212 Country-Western.
Figure 10Types of Illicit Drugs and Alcohol in Songs
63%
15%
10%
4%
4%
4%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Percentage of songs with illicit drug portrayals that refer to:
Percentage of songs with alcohol portrayals that refer to:
Based on 182 songs with illicit drug references and 166 songs with alcohol references. This includes songs in which substances were mentioned but not used.
22%
34%
36%
31%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Marijuana
Crack cocaine
Powder cocaine
Hallucinogens
Heroin or other opiates
Miscellaneous other (amphetamines, inhalants, etc.)
Beer or malt liquor
Wine or champagne
Hard liquor or mixed drinks
Generic terms--e.g., “booze”