Stop the Humble Mumble: Bringing Criminology to the People

Crime and Media Review
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Literature and Language
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Crime and Media Studies Review
Literature Review - Chapter 1: Stop the Humble Mumble: Bringing Criminology to the People (Franklin T. Wilson)
The author analyzed the gathered studies to prove that the range of incarcerated individuals are composed of different factors and it can clearly be categorized. The United States only comprises 5% of the world population, but the added 25% of the incarcerated population from this country. This is proven by the fact that there are 716 in 100,000 citizens are being incarcerated. To prove this further, the other countries that also have a high incarceration rate are Rwanda with 492, Russia has 475, Brazil with 274, Spain with 147, Australia has 130, China with 121, and lastly Canada with 118. This does not necessarily mean that the United States have the most number of criminals because the incarceration rates and correctional facilities are caused by changes in sentencing policies and laws. This might be shocking to some but the changes in these policies and laws are present because the general public do not have access to the workings of criminologists and other scientists. The cause of this is that experts are forbidden to use media platforms and/or not being successful in notifying the media in a way that is understandable even to the common people.
The criminologists ae aware of how the correctional supervision rates are increasing and it is a fact that complex web issues are causing this. If these web issues are addressed, there will be a more profound crime prevention that can be used to lessen incarceration rates. The social issues can be classified based on culture, race and gender to name a few. All of these classifications are composed of sub-issues. Not everyone is able to understand this and the community continue to be misinformed compared to others who belong to the system.
By presenting studies and evidences that are used to prove the author’s claim, there is better proof that the restrictions in the use of media to keep the average citizen informed are not helping. The society are not properly informed only lead to failure because they lack the understanding about the criminal justice systems. The social issues are the ones to be blamed instead of the limitations placed on the common people to know more about the system. However, even if it is easy to blame those who are causing this, the individuals who sit in their position are the ones who were elected and these problems existed even before they took office.
In actuality, the people are the determining factor on what they consider as a problem and how they are to seek support to gain effectivity. According to the author, these problems are sometimes caused by common beliefs like a person needs to have equal revenge, death penalty is going to end crime, and more police officers will make crime disappear. It is easy to pass on these beliefs to the public, but the findings of social sciences are not able to reach everyone.
The statements given are solid and the studies were used to show the differences of incarceration rates between countries and why the general public do not have a full understanding of it. Conveying laws and policies to them can be simplified and media can certainly be utilized to keep people informed. The studies presented in the book are clear and concise and proves their point well.
Methodology
The methodology is executed in such a way that the rate of incarceration in the top countries are given in comparison to the United States and how they are classified. Even if make up 25% of the world’s incarceration rate, this does not necessarily mean they have the most number. Furthermore, the factors are given on why media should be utilized to inform the general public.
Findings
* Even if crime and media are depicted well in television, literature, music and film, comic books are no longer as popular.
* They still have to know how to properly utilize the media to spread awareness about the criminal justice system.
Relevance
The relevance of the discoveries to everyday life is about being aware of crimes and what can be done in case someone is violated. There are instances when a person is not aware that he or she is already being offended and do not think of informing the police. When this happens, the offender will only move on to its next victim and commit more crimes. Knowing when and how to report a crime is a survival skill everyone needs because some of these criminals are relentless and will only continue. The commonality of crack and cocaine use affect a person’s psychological perception and reasoning which make them commit crimes. Another advantage of being aware is to avoid areas where crack use is rampant and sold openly because the person walking behind someone could be thinking of something bad.
Literature Review: Chapter 2 – Crack-ing th Media Myth: Reconsidering Sentencing Severity for Cocaine Offenders by Drug Type (Richerd D. Hartley and J. Mitchell Miller)
In chapter 2 it is given that there are a lot of critics who are called to change the federal cocaine sentencing policy to new ones. The criticism conducted is concentrated on the charges that answer for offenses in cocaine that are ineffective and imbalanced. These concerns ae permitted directly through racial disparity outcome and failure in a drug war. What needs to be done is to provide citizens an explanation through the media on what has occurred and what needs to be done if anything like this happens. The media caused panic that focus on crack in the inner cities. By mentioning this in the study, it proves that even well-known figures can get hooked and die because of overdose. Regardless of someone’s profession or status in life, it is proof that drugs greatly affects anyone.
Methodology
The spread of cocaine contributed to the crime rate and there were more people going to prison because they committed crimes after taking drugs. There is a mandatory statute that add to the number of individuals who receive long jail time by being subject to mid- or low-level participants. They have the same penalties as the ones who contribute narcotics and fixing the specific trigger at a minimum. Since it is kept at a minimum, not everyone who use or distribute cocaine are imprisoned. This decreased the number of cocaine cases, but majority of the offenses were powder cases and half of them are because of crack.
Findings
* The other finding is that the trigger for crack is 100 times lower compared to powder cocaine. This results to a more severe punishment given to those who are selling or taking crack then powder cocaine users and sellers.
* The media and other popular figures have said that crack is more dangerous than cocaine because crack addiction caused a national crisis that cannot easily be solved by the law.
* The moral panic in the media told in the book speaks of its ability to disseminate important information to a large audience is able to shape the thinking of the public and the types of opinions they give.
Relevance
The television and newspapers are observed to also distort crime information. When this happens, there is an occurrence of moral panic because the ideas become threatening to society. This is where media needs to be careful in portraying crimes to the public because it causes outrage and moral panic. There have been at least 2 moral panics in the 20 years that have passed where one is because of violence and the other is because of crack.
Literature Review – Chapter 4: The Influence of Rap/Hip-hop Music: A Mixed-Method Analysis on Audience Perceptions of Misogynistic Lyrics and the Issue of Domestic Violence (Gretchen Cundiff)
In chapter 4, the examination of rap and hip-hop music and the way lyrical messages can have an impact on the attitude of the listeners to violence in intimate partners. Misogyny is defined as the hatred disdain of women and there is an idea that women are no longe...