Crime and the Media Headlines vs. Reality

by Muraskin, Roslyn; Domash, Shelly Feuer

• ISBN13: 9780131921337
• ISBN10: 0131921339
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-07-06
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

The public's knowledge of crime is primarily derived from the depiction in the media. If the media is responsible for the headlines, the conclusion to be reached is that they influence the public's attention regarding crime. This book examines, through the study of cases that have made headlines, what is noted as the fear of crime among the populace. In addition to cases such as Scott Peterson, Marilyn Sheppard, and Jon Benet Ramsey, the authors focus on the changes in the sentencing laws, policies, increased incarceration rates as well as the war on drugs and try to find the factors that brought about change.Focuses on the mass media and how it has transformed the criminal justice system. Presents 10 cases ranging throughout history right up until the 21st Century. Allows the reader to become involved in the case with an understanding of how the case was portrayed in the media. Explains the theory of crime and what attracts the media.The focus of this work, the media and its handling of the criminal justice system, will have appeal to anyone involved in criminal justice. The case descriptions, the commentary will fascinate all readers.

Author Biography

Roslyn Muraskin, Ph.D., is a tenured Full Professor of criminal justice at the C.W. Post Campus of Long IslandUniversity.  Her published works include IT’S A CRIME: WOMEN AND JUSTICE (2007), Prentice Hall, KEY CORRECTIONAL ISSUES (2005), Prentice Hall, MEDIA AND CRIME: HEADLINES OR REALITY (in press), Prentice Hall, KEY CORRECTIONAL ISSUES (2005), Prentice Hall, VISIONS FOR CHANGE: CRIME AND JUSTICE IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, ( 2005 4^th edition) Prentice Hall with Albert R. Roberts, Editor of the WOMEN’S SERIES for Prentice Hall including: Women in Law Enforcement Careers (2005), The Female Homicide Offender: Serial Murder and the Case of Aileen Wuornos (2004), The Incarcerated Woman: Rehabilitative Programming in Criminal Justice (2003),  plus others,  MORALITY AND THE LAW (2001) Prentice Hall.  Additionally, Dr. Muraskin is the Editor of the Criminal Justice Series, A CRITICAL JOURNAL OF CRIME, LAW AND SOCIETY, a refereed journal published quarterly by Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, and serves on the Board of many Journals and publications, including the Editorial Board of the Encyclopedia of Criminology.

 

Dr. Muraskin serves as the director of the Long Island Women’ Institute for the College of Management at Long Island University, as well as the executive director of the Alumni Chapter for the College of Management.  She served in the capacity of associate dean of the College of Management (1990-1996) and as director of the School of Public Service.

 

Among the awards she has received:  “You Have Made a World of Difference,” College of Management, Long Island University; Long Island Women’s Agenda Outstanding Contributions; Recipient of Outstanding Contribution Award to Criminal Justice, Minority Section of ACJS, Recipient of Fellow Award for Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences, Honoree at Golf Outing of Long Island Association for Aids Care, plus.

 

She received her doctorate in criminal justice from the GraduateCenter at the CityUniversity of New York, and her master’s degree at New YorkUniversity.  She received her bachelor’s degree from QueensCollege.

 

She currently holds the position of Vice-Chair of the Women’s Division of the American Society of Criminology, served as Trustee of Region One for the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, as well as President of the Northeastern Association for Criminal Justice Sciences.   She is also a community activist currently working on issues regarding the Environment.

 

Dr. Muraskin’s main research interests are those of gender and the law, as well as those issues that impact prisoners in correctional facilities.  She is a frequent guest lecturer on issues of gender, race and the law, and can be seen on television and hard on radio.

 

Shelly Feuer Domash is a freelance reporter for the New York Times, Police Magazine, and many other national publications.  She has extensive experience in radio, television, and print media.  Her career began as the first woman newscaster reporting from Long Island, New York.  Ms. Domash then went on to become a production assistant at WABC-TV.  She anchored the evening news on WLIW-TV, then produced and anchored her own women’s talk show for the station.  Her first story for Newsday exposed the high incidence of breast cancer on Long Island.  Working for the New York Times, she specialized in police reporting, feature writing, and investigative and daily news stories.  Her interest in independent film projects resulted in numerous documentaries that she produced, directed, and wrote.  Her documentary on gangs was the first in-depth look at the impact of gangs on Long Island.  Her drug abuse documentary, in addition to being aired on television, was shown daily on tours of the Supreme Court building in Mineola, New York; used as a training tool in high schools; and aired in drug rehabilitation centers in New York State.

 

            Ms. Domash has also worked on the other side of the media, heading the public relations departments for the Nassau County Health Department, New York, and the Town of Hempstead, New York.  She has lectured extensively on breast cancer, drugs, gangs, and women’s issues.  Ms. Domash has received numerous awards for her professional accomplishments, including six press club awards for both her stories in the New York Times and her documentaries; the Coalition for Fair Broadcasting awards for two of her documentaries; the Cable Industry’s Gilbert Award; and the Nassau County Bar Association award for public service.

 

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
About the Authors	ix
Overview: Crime and the Media: Headlines versus Reality	1	(8)
What About the Media?	9	(4)
The Relationship of Crime Reporting to the Fear of Crime	13	(8)
Crimes and Reactions	21	(2)
The Salem Witchcraft Trials	23	(8)
The Scopes Monkey Trial, 1925	31	(6)
The Menendez Brothers, 1989	37	(8)
Colin Ferguson, 1993	45	(7)
The O.J. Simpson Case, 1994	52	(8)
JonBenet Ramsey, 1996	60	(11)
Kobe Bryant, 2003	71	(8)
Daniel Pelosi, 2001	79	(8)
Elizabeth Ann Smart, 2002	87	(10)
Scott Peterson, 2002	97	(8)
Michael Jackson, 2004	105	(10)
Female Offenders Depicted by the Media	115	(2)
A Star Is Formed: Media Construction of the Female Criminal	117	(16)
Martha Stewart: This Case is About Lying	133	(7)
Can the Mass Media Do Good?	140	(3)
If a Story Isn't Depicted by the Media, It Doesn't Exist	143	(5)
Conclusion	148	(3)
References	151	(7)
Index	158