likely to reach us. When things are getting better, we often do not hear about them, which can lead to a 
systematically too-negative impression of the world around us, which is very stressful.” 
3 
Public knowledge of crime and justice derived largely from the media. Research has examined the impact 
of media consumption on fear of crime, punitive attitudes, and perceived police effectiveness. Studies have 
found that the more crime-related media an individual consumes, the more fearful of crime they are. 
4 
5 
However, we also are attracted to specific types of crime and victims when we choose to consume media. 
In other words, the media is aware of our crime preferences and will report on those more. Glassner (2009) 
describes what he calls the ‘ideal crime story’ for journalists to report. He notes that society likes to read about 
innocent victims, likable people, and the perpetrator needs to be scary and uncaring about the crime. 
6 
Our society is fascinated with crime and justice, where we spend hours watching films, reading books, 
newspapers, magazines, and television broadcasts that keep us constantly engaged in crime “talk.” Perhaps 
what we do not always realize is the mass media plays an important role in the construction of criminals, 
criminality and the criminal justice system. Our understanding and perceptions of victims, criminals, 
deviants, and police largely determined by their portrayal in the mass media. 
7 
The majority of public knowledge about crime and justice derived from the media. 
8 
9 
10 Since Gallup 
polls began asking whether a crime had increased in 1989, a majority of Americans have usually said there is 
more crime than there was the year before. There is only one year where people did not think it did, which 
followed 9/11. 
11 
Despite decreases in U.S. violent and property crime rates since 2008, most voters say crime has gotten 
worse during that span. Mostly, Americans’ perceptions of crime are often at odds with the data. 
12 Research 
has also shown that there are stark differences across party lines. Specifically, almost eight-in-ten voters who 
supported President Donald Trump (78%) said this, as did 37% of backers of Democrat Hillary Clinton. 
Just 5% of pro-Trump voters and a quarter of Clinton supporters said crime has gotten better since 2008, 
according to the survey of 3,788 adults. 
13 All of this is at odds with official data reports that will get discussed 
in more detail in the next chapter. Since this is the case, how do people have this misperception about crime 
and criminality? Where do these myths develop? 
3. Rosling, H. (2018). Factfulness: Ten reasons we are wrong about the world--and why things are better than you think. Flatiron Books 
4. Dowler, K. (2003). Media consumption and public attitudes toward crime and justice: The relationship between fear of crime, punitive 
attitudes, and percieved police effectiveness. Journal of Criminal Justice & Popular Culture, 10, 109-126. 
5. Kort-Butler, L., & Sittner-Hartshorn, K. (2011). Watching the detectives: Crime programming, fear of crime, and attitudes about the 
criminal justice system. The Sociological Quarterly, 52, 36-55. 
6. Glassner, B. (2009). The culture of fear: Why Americans are afraid of the wrong things (Rev. ed.). New York: Basic Books. 
7. Dowler, K. (2003). Media consumption and public attitudes toward crime and justice: The relationship between fear of crime, punitive 
attitudes, and perceived police effectiveness. Journal of Criminal Justice & Popular Culture, 10(2), 109-126. 
8. Roberts, J., & Doob, A. (1986). Public estimates of recidivism rates: Consequences of a criminal stereotype." Canadian Journal of 
Criminology 28, 229-241; 
9. Surette, R. (1990). The media and criminal justice policy: Recent research and social effects. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. 
10. Kappeler, V., & Potter, G. (2018). The mythology of crime and criminal justice. (5th ed). Long Grove: Waveland Press, Inc. 
11. Swift, A. (2016). Americans' Perceptions of U.S. Crime Problem Are Steady. Gallup. Social Policy and Issues. https://news.gallup.com/
poll/197318/americans-perceptions-crime-problem-steady.aspx 
12. Gramlich, J. (2016). Voters' perceptions of crime continue to conflict with reality. Pew Research Center. http://www.pewresearch.org/
fact-tank/2016/11/16/voters-perceptions-of-crime-continue-to-conflict-with-reality/ 
13. Gramlich, J. (2016). Voters' perceptions of crime continue to conflict with reality. Pew Research Center. http://www.pewresearch.org/
fact-tank/2016/11/16/voters-perceptions-of-crime-continue-to-conflict-with-reality/ 
ALISON S. BURKE, DAVID CARTER, BRIAN FEDOREK, TIFFANY MOREY, LORE RUTZ-BURRI, AND SHANELL
SANCHEZ
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