TAQ 1: Discuss the view that criminology has proved that the media not only distorts the reality of crime but is also capable of causing crime indirectly.
The revolutionary changes in the media today are creating ease for people as well as negatively impacting millions of people. There are several ways to access the media, such as free social media services that only require a valid internet connection. Now, television is not compulsory for obtaining information regarding national or international affairs or any knowledge. The use of social media is widespread all over the world, and its number of users is increasing day by day. These new trends are impacting the ways the media is used to present the crimes of a country to the general public. The media is considered a power source that generates public opinion about crime. Media content such as news, reports, advertisements, political information, and crime information is delivered to the general public, and it shapes their opinions about any certain event or topic. So, the accuracy of any event or any information is an important and required aspect (HAN ER, 2014).
Unfortunately, the media presents a distorted image of criminal events and changes the reality of crime just to increase its viewership, for entertainment, and to promote its channels. The media presents small events or, many times, creates such events that have no connection with reality, and the media portrays these events extensively. For example, violent crimes such as sexual abuse, mass murder, or serial killings are the ones that are most viewed or found fascinating by the general public, so the media reports more about these crimes by adding several factors that do not belong to the actual crime just to attain and grab the attention of viewers. These events are overrepresented as compared to other events like white-collar crimes. The media not only distorts the real information about the crime but also changes its facts, images, and statistics just to increase the number of viewers and fascinate them.
Mass media has a purpose in that its popularity, rating, sales, and ranking impact its profit positively or negatively. Other purposes include making people aware of the criminal justice system and bringing about social change in society. But the media today mostly wants to increase its profits and make money. Many times, the media shows the public violent crimes and murders to scare them and produce fear in the general public. The reason behind these actions is that the public will consider the fact that every single person could easily become the victim of a crime in society. These efforts of the media are called moral panics. When the media consistently starts showing the public that the community is not safe and many events are happening in society, it increases fear in the public sphere, which increases the chances of moral panics in the community. Research studies have shown that moral panics are linked with the media consumption of the general public. This increases the chances that people will form their own opinions about criminals, and their lack of information leads them to link crimes to certain individuals or minorities.
Media representation of crimes may sometimes lead to crimes being committed. This is because viewing violence in the media leads to aggressive behavior, which could lead to criminal behavior and action. Media violence not only impacts the minds of the general public but also influences the criminal behavior of people. Media is responsible for shaping people’s perceptions of crime, and it increases the chances that people adopt certain behaviors while continuously watching crime series. Aggressive behavioral events and their continuous broadcast in the media lead to the development of aggressive behavior among people in society. The use and spread of video games among teens in the modern world today negatively impact their minds when they use crime-related games. Many games that are based on certain violent actions are most popular among children and teach them to react violently even when it is not required. This encourages criminal behavior and leads them to react violently and aggressively in certain situations (Coyne, 2007).
Media is responsible for delivering the truth and real events to the general public, but in reality, this is not happening in most societies of the world today. The media is working to make profits rather than spread real information to the public. The media is encouraging crimes that are violent and severe just to increase profits and attract viewers who are fascinated by criminal activities. It not only develops aggressive and violent behavior in people, but the consistent viewing of certain violent events leads to the spread of moral panic in society. People consider that they are not safe due to increasing criminal activities, and they start to distrust their criminal justice system. They start to believe that the criminal justice system is not working properly.
TAQ 2: “Killers are born, not made.” Outline and evaluate this statement concerning:
People who kill in self-defense
Serial killers
Terrorists
Also, provide theoretical explanations for each type of killer.
Murder is considered the most violent and wrong action in the criminal justice system. Taking anyone’s life is the most violent and serious crime that leads to a sentence of death or a life sentence. Murders occur in almost every society in the world today, but some societies have an increased rate, and some have a lower rate of occurrence. There are three different types of killers, including those who kill in self-defense, serial killers, and terrorists.
Killers who kill someone in self-defense are those who do not commit the crime intentionally. Self-defense killing means that a person wants to save his life from a killer or any other person, and as a result, he kills the other person just to save himself. Self-defense is allowed in every society as the life of every person is important. In many cases involving criminal activities such as attempted theft, rape, and murder, people try to save themselves from criminals, and as a result, they end up killing the person who tried to murder or rape them. For example, a woman who becomes a victim of rape surely tries to save herself. In some cases, when she tries to harm the other person by hitting his head with any object, it results in the death of the abuser. This is a case of self-defense, and the woman tried to save her life and honor, which made her a killer. Similarly, a person who becomes the victim of a murder attempt by another person surely tries to save his life, and as a result, it could lead to the death of the one who tried to kill the innocent person. These cases show that people who try to save their lives and, as a result, kill the attacker are innocent and are not killers who intentionally kill another person.
Serial killers are those who purposefully kill other people. They include rapists, criminals, and people with mental disorders. Rapists are those who intentionally try to abuse or rape women, and many times, they kill them after raping them. These people are mostly sex addicts and become killers to satisfy their sexual needs. Criminals are those who have aggressive and violent natures. These people could be thieves, and when they find the victim violent, they kill them just to save themselves and become murderers. Moreover, criminals are those who become murderers just for the sake of money. People who have mental disabilities are also among those who murder other people due to their mental disabilities, such as rapists who are mentally disturbed and only want to fulfill their sexual desire and, after that, kill the victims (BBC.com, 2015).
Terrorists are people who want to spread terror and fear in any society just for the sake of an ideology or a specific purpose. In the modern world today, many countries are facing issues that are created by these terrorists. These people commit crimes and mass murder purposefully, and they are the ones who do not care about their lives. They mostly kill themselves in an attempt to kill several people.
Serial killers and terrorists are those who purposefully kill other people, as compared to those who become killers in self-defense.
“Killers are born, not made” is not a true statement. In the context of criminology, killers include both those who are born and those who are made. People with an aggressive and violent nature are more likely to become killers. In cases of self-defense, people want to save their lives, and that may lead them to kill other people, which means that certain circumstances make a person a killer. Moreover, scientists have argued that some inherent gene structures create a tendency for a person to become a killer, but that does not happen to every person who becomes a killer. Many killers had a dark past and an abusive childhood that led them to become bad people and criminals. Many times, certain circumstances and situations lead a person to act violently and aggressively. These traits encourage a person to become a criminal. People facing mental disabilities and mental disturbances are also among those who become serial killers.
Killers are born and made. It depends on the lives of the killers. Many people who are innocent become killers due to their mental disabilities and situations of self-defense. Similarly, many people are born with traits that lead them to become criminals and killers. Moreover, many people who face severe circumstances such as an abusive childhood, poverty, unemployment, rape, violence, parental abuse, the death of loved ones, war situations, and destruction also become killers and criminals (Ehrenfeld, 2015).
TAQ 3:
What are some of the key factors that influence the seriousness of the effect of victimization?
Victimization is a phase of trauma that occurs in the lives of victims in the aftermath of a crime. People suffer from mental, physical, and psychological trauma as an effect of victimization. The main factors that influence these effects include the severity of the crime that occurred. If it was not a severe event or happening, then the effects will not impact the victim for a longer period. But if it is an event that negatively impacts the victim, hurts him, or causes a mentally and psychologically traumatic phase, then it will last in the life of the victim for a longer period. Moreover, several important factors, including mental disturbance, mental tension, psychological distress, physical pain, disruptive or abnormal behavior, impaired occupational functioning, impaired parenting skills, and problematic behavior, influence the effects of victimization (Hanson et al., 2010).
Is the experience of victimization different for men and women?
Yes, the experience of victimization is different due to the different behavioral or emotional patterns of men and women. Women are more emotional, fearful, and sensitive as compared to men, and men are more emotionally strong, fearless, and less sensitive than women. So, their experiences of victimization impact them differently. In cases of rape or sexual violence, women require proper medical attention and treatment as well as proper mental treatment that helps them fight the traumatic phase. In the case of men, if they become victims of sexual abuse, then they require less time as compared to women to recover from the traumatic phase.
What psychological factors help victims to recover more quickly from their experience of victimization?
Many psychological factors help victims recover quickly after victimization, but the most important ones are care and love. Love and care from people around them help a victim recover very quickly. Moreover, people who have a strong will and ambition and those who want to fight their fears through their own efforts are the ones who recover very soon after victimization. Moreover, consistent care and affection for the victim and proper treatment by society are also significant factors that are important for the recovery phase of victims (National Institute of Justice, 2018).
References
BBC.com (2015). Are murderers born or made? [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31714853 [Accessed 27 Feb. 2018].
Coyne, S. (2007). Does Media Violence Cause Violent Crime? European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 13(3-4), pp. 205-211.
Ehrenfeld, T. (2015). Are Killers Born or Made? Both. [online] Psychology Today. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/open-gently/201504/are-killers-born-or-made-both [Accessed 27 Feb. 2018].
HAN ER, H. (2014). MEDIA CONSTRUCTION OF CRIME. [online] DailySabah. Available at: https://www.dailysabah.com/opinion/2014/09/06/media-construction-of-crime [Accessed 27 Feb. 2018].
Hanson, R., Sawyer, G., Begle, A. and Hubel, G. (2010). The impact of crime victimization on quality of life. Journal of Traumatic Stress, [online] 23(2), pp. 189-197. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2910433/.
National Institute of Justice. (2018). Victims and Victimization | National Institute of Justice. [online] Available at: https://www.nij.gov/topics/victims-victimization/Pages/welcome.aspx [Accessed 27 Feb. 2018].
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