Mass Media and Fear of Crime

Charges that the mass media create unwarranted levels of fear of crime are almost as old as the media themselves. Researchers entered the fray in large numbers in the 1960s, documenting the effects of television, newspapers, and movies on perceptions of crime and fear of criminal victimization. Rece...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American behavioral scientist (Beverly Hills) 1996-02, Vol.39 (4), p.379-386
Main Authors: HEATH, LINDA, GILBERT, KEVIN
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Audience Response
Broadcasting
Cable television industry
Community policing
Crime
Crime and criminals
Crime drama
Crime fear
Criminal justice
Criminal Law
Cultural Influences
Fear
Fear & phobias
Fear of crime
Gerbner (G)
Higher Education
Influence
Justice
Law Related Education
Legal systems
Mass Media
Mass Media Effects
Mass Media Role
Media
Media Research
Media violence
Motion pictures
News Reporting
Nonviolence
Psychological aspects
Public Affairs Education
Public Opinion
Reading
Social Influences
Socialization
Television
Television news
Television programming
Television programs
U.S.A
United States
Victimization
Victims of Crime
Violence
Violence in mass media
Violence in television
Violent crime
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Summary:Charges that the mass media create unwarranted levels of fear of crime are almost as old as the media themselves. Researchers entered the fray in large numbers in the 1960s, documenting the effects of television, newspapers, and movies on perceptions of crime and fear of criminal victimization. Recent developments in mass media, such as the rise in popularity of crime reenactment television programs, the access to more violence via cable, VCR, and satellite dish, and the interactive nature of electronic games, raise even greater concern about the fear-generating potential of these media. In addition, the real-world increase in the occurrence of stranger crimes and mass attacks could make the media image even more potent, because of the prevalence of random or random-appearing crimes reported by the media. This article provides an overview of the research on the mass media and its effects on perceptions of crime danger, personal fear of crime, and reactions to crime risk. In addition, we examine the modifiers of the relationships between media and fear.
ISSN:0002-7642
1552-3381
DOI:10.1177/0002764296039004003