Crime, Media, and Reality

In today's society, the public perception of crime has been skewed by how the media depicts it. People use the media for enjoyment, companionship, surveillance, and interpretation. The problem is that it becomes hard to separate fact from entertainment. This raises several questions. How are we consuming media? Are we consuming reality within the news? And are we consuming harmless pleasure from entertainment media? In Crime, Media, and Reality: Examining Mixed Messages about Crime and Justice in Popular Media, Venessa Garcia and Samantha Garcia Arkerson focus predominantly on the social constructions of crime and justice and how we absorb them. They look at the influence of crime news and true crime television series that prevent the public from understanding pure entertainment from the realities of crime and justice. They bring to light the social science knowledge missed by media "infotainment," which has blurred the line between information and entertainment. Throughout, all different forms of media are discussed, news media, crime dramas and true crime television series. In doing so, they keep all of its fascinating coverage while uncovering the reality of crime and justice. This book adds significant information to the constructs held by the general public by placing media depictions into historical, legal, and social context.
Garcia and Arkerson look at the influence of crime news and true crime television series that prevent the public from distinguishing pure entertainment from the realities of crime and justice.
In Crime, Media and Reality, Venessa Garcia and Samantha Arkerson provide an authoritative but also engaging and highly readable account of the media representation of crime, criminals and the criminal justice system. Crime and justice are staple elements across all forms of media and this comprehensive new text highlights the importance of academic criminology acknowledging the extent, popularity and influence of crime stories.--Ian Marsh, PhD, principal lecturer in criminology, Liverpool Hope University
A lively and engaging read that tells us much - not only about the American media - but also about the nature of power and politics in the States. With its emphasis on race, gender, crime and justice, Crime, Media, and Reality is a distinctive contribution to the burgeoning literature on media and crime in the U.S.--Yvonne Jewkes, professor of criminology, University of Brighton