Therefore, the media may glorify these cases, especially if it is a well-known case like O.J. Simpson, Bernie 
Madoff, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jackson, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Ted Bundy. Most people know about these 
cases, and it may have struck fear into the public, but again, these are garnered more attention because they 
are uncommon, committed by people who are famous or shock the public consciousness. 
Ted Bundy Obsession Example 
Our society is so obsessed with the celebrated cases that we often talk a lot about them, cover them extensively 
on the news, and live in fear because of them. Students in a class that are pro-death penalty often say, “I reserve it 
for all the Ted Bundy’s in the world.” They are rare, but we fear them! Take this news link that shares images of his 
last meals on death row. 
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/last-meals-of-death-row/8/ 
The Wedding Cake Model theory not only helps us better understand the operation of the criminal justice 
system but also how our perceptions of crime and criminality can be skewed by what gets reported in the 
news. It is uncommon for us to hear or read reports on the most common types of crimes, the bottom tier. 
When we get bombarded with the crimes that are more at the top, celebrated cases, we may begin to think 
that is the reality. 
Wedding Cake Model Exercise 
Find a case for each tier of the wedding cake model in the news and write up a 500 word summary of where it 
fits and why. Lastly, discuss how it may get influenced by our extensive coverage or rare, yet essential news cases. 
ALISON S. BURKE, DAVID CARTER, BRIAN FEDOREK, TIFFANY MOREY, LORE RUTZ-BURRI, AND SHANELL
SANCHEZ
50