CJUS 2570 — CJUS 2570
Crime and the Media – 3 Credits This course examines the interrelationships between crime, criminal justice, and mass media. It will explore the history of these linkages, the social science research, and the current issues relative to crime and mass media. The course examines the depictions of victims, offenders, and the criminal justice system in the media. The evolution of these depictions in print media, popular literature, films, tele- vision, and popular music will be discussed. The possible impact of media images of crime and violence on indi - viduals, groups, and public policy will be considered. This class will also cover the representations of crime and the criminal justice system in the media. Television, film, news- paper, and electronic/internet media intersects with crime and the criminal justice system in a number of important ways. The point of this course is to examine how the media represents, distorts, and/or filtters crime and justice issues. Also, the media is used as a mechanism to explore issues (e.g., political ideology, corrections policy, causes of crime) that are central to the study of crime. Issues regarding the future of crime, criminal justice, and mass media also will be discussed.