Media Literacy Media Construct our society (Normative

reflexivity (“drug good” or “Drugs bad”) Media contain ideological and value

messages Individuals construct their own meanings

from media The human brain processes moving images

different than text Media is most powerful when it operates on

an emotional level

Criminal Justice:An Institution of Social ControlThere are a variety of responses to crime in the United States, from punishment to prevention.

Media is about “Prevention” but not the way you initially think:

1. Functional deviance: society against “other”

Means of profit (1. sell goods, 2. sell media)

2.

Criminal Justice:An Institution of Social Control

Criminal justice is an institution of social control, as are:

– The family– Schools– Organized religion– The media– The law

institution of social control

An organization that persuades people, through subtle and not-so-subtle means, to abide by the

dominant values of society.

Criminal justice differs because:– It is concerned only with behavior that

is actually criminal.

– It is society’s “last line of defense.”

Criminal Justice:An Institution of Social Control

Crime in real terms

Most police calls involve responding to complaints of disturbances:• Domestic quarrels• Neighbor squabbles• Gang altercations• Loud music

Pre-trial StagesAbout 90 percent of criminal defendants plead guilty to the charges against them, in an arrangement called plea bargaining.

plea bargainingThe practice whereby a specific sentence is imposed if the accused pleads guilty to an agreed-upon charge or charges instead of going to trial.

Trial 10 percent of criminal cases go to trial.

5 percent of criminal cases are decided in a bench trial.

bench trial

A trial before a judge, without a jury.

Trial• If the defendant is

found guilty as charged

• The judge (and sometimes the jury) begins to consider a sentence.

If the defendant is found not guilty

The defendant is released.

CorrectionsCurrently, five types of punishment are used in the United States and Canada:

–Fines–Probation–Intermediate punishments (Community service)–Imprisonment–Death

Percentage of trials that make up the types of courtroom dramas that we see on TV : 1 - 2%

The Police The Police recognise the power of the

media, and have at times utilised this power “An enduring, if not ecstatically happy,

marriage” between the police and the media (Sir Robert Mark, 1971)

The media is generally supportive of the police

Police corruption seen as “one bad apple” The Police see themselves as the subject of

criticism “Without doubt the most abused, the most

unfairly criticised ad the most silent minority in this country” Sir Robert Mark (1974)

Explanations for Media coverage Structural constraints on media

Focus on court-based stories emphasises the success of the police

Police provide most information to the media

“News” is inherently event-dependent: little time is allowed for deeper analysis (trends, social causes etc.)

TV crews located behind police lines

Explanations for Media coverage Journalists’ Professional Ideology

(Chibnall)

Immediacy Titillation

Dramatisation Conventionalism

Personalisation Structured Access

Simplification Novelty

Laissez-Faire Model The media is driven by demand economics Media focus on sensationalist, prurient, and

moralistic stories reflects the desires of the general public

Ignores other influences (e.g. government)

Explanations for Media coverage

Political Ideology The press is predominantly conservative The media aim to strike a ‘middle

ground’ between mainstream political perspectives i.e. a relativistic stance

Hegemony: The media operates to provide consent and support for the State’s actions e.g. Stuart Hall et al. “Policing the Crisis”

Figure 1Substance Appearance in Popular Movies and Songs

22%18%

89%

3%

93%

17%

98%

27%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Movies Popular Songs

Illicit drugs Tobacco Alcohol Any substance

Percentages reflect the number of movies (200 total) and songs (1,000 total) in which substances appeared, whether or not they were used.

Figure 2Percentage of Movies and Songs Associating Illicit Drug Use With:

15%

6%

30%

15%

21%

15%

52%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

20%

30%

20%

6%

2%

3%

81%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

MoviesPopular Songs

Wealth or luxury

Sexual activity

Crime or violence

Anti-use statement

Refusal to use

Pro-use statement or advocacy of use

No consequence to user

Wealth or luxury

Sexual activity

Crime or violence

Anti-use statement

Refusal to use

Pro-use statement or advocacy of use

No consequence to user

Based on the 33 movies and 156 songs that portrayed illicit drug use.

Figure 3Percentage of Movies and Songs Associating Alcohol Use With:

34%

19%

37%

9%

14%

20%

57%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Based on the 183 movies and 149 songs that portrayed alcohol use.

24%

34%

13%

3%

5%

1%

91%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

MoviesPopular Songs

Wealth or luxury

Sexual activity

Crime or violence

Anti-use statement

Refusal to use

Pro-use statement or advocacy of use

No consequence to user

Wealth or luxury

Sexual activity

Crime or violence

Anti-use statement

Refusal to use

Pro-use statement or advocacy of use

No consequence to user

Figure 4Percentage of Songs and 5-Minute Movie Segments

with Substance Appearance

2%

18%

31%

17%24%

3%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Movies Popular Songs

Illicit Drugs Alcohol Tobacco

In order to measure the concentration of substance appearances within movies, each movie was divided into 5-minute segments, and each segment examined separately for substances. The height of the columns above represents the percentage of all 5-minute movie segments (4,372) or songs (1,000) that contained a substance appearance. The 2% above therefore means that illicit drugs appeared one or more times in the 4,372 movie segments. The percentages refer to the intervals, not the number of appearances.

Figure 5Substance Use in G or PG, PG-13, and R-Rated Movies

Percentages based on 38 G or PG, 65 PG-13, and 97 R-rated movies.

0%

17%20%

79%82%

92%

76%

97%94%

18%14%

18%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

G or PG PG-13 R

Illicit drugs Tobacco Alcohol Other legal drugs

Figure 6Substance Use in Movies by Genre

10%13%

18%

83%89% 89%88%

93% 93%

12%17%

20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Action Adventure Comedy Drama

Illicit drugs Tobacco Alcohol Other legal drugs

Percentages based on 60 Action Adventures, 69 Comedies, and 71 Dramas.

Figure 7Substance Use by Age of Major Characters

8% 6%2%

17%

26% 25%22%

57% 57%

4% 5% 5%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

under 18 years 18-39 years 40 years and older

Illicit drugs Tobacco Alcohol Other legal drugs

Percentages based on 79 major characters under 18 years, 473 characters between 18 and 39, and 196 characters 40 and older.

66%

78% 78%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

85%

45%

12%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Figure 8Types of Illicit Drugs, Tobacco, and Alcohol in Movies

51%

2%

33%

12%12%12%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Mar

ijuan

a

Pow

der

coca

ine

Hal

luci

noge

ns

He r

o in

o r o

the r

op i

a te s

Mis

cella

neou

s ot

her

Cig

aret

tes

Cig

ars

Pip

es o

r ch

e win

g to

bac c

o

Bee

r

Percentage of movies with illicit drugs that show:

Percentage of movies with tobacco portrayals that show use of:

Cra

ck c

ocai

nePercentage of movies with alcohol portrayals that show use of:

Based on 43 movies in which illicit drugs appeared, 172 movies portraying tobacco use, and 183 movies portraying alcohol use. Percentages sum to more than 100% because multiple substances appeared in the same movie.

Win

e or

ch

ampa

gne

Ha r

d li q

u or/

m

ixe d

dr in

ks

Figure 9Percentage of Songs with Substance References by Genre

63%

11% 11% 9%

1%

47%

10% 12%

4%

13%

75%

20% 20%

12% 14%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Rap Alternative Hot-100 Heavy Metal Country-Western

Illicit drug references Alcohol references Either drugs or alcohol

Based on 212 Rap songs, 211 Alternative Rock, 212 Hot-100, 211 Heavy Metal, and 212 Country-Western.

Figure 10Types of Illicit Drugs and Alcohol in Songs

63%

15%

10%

4%

4%

4%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percentage of songs with illicit drug portrayals that refer to:

Percentage of songs with alcohol portrayals that refer to:

Based on 182 songs with illicit drug references and 166 songs with alcohol references. This includes songs in which substances were mentioned but not used.

22%

34%

36%

31%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Marijuana

Crack cocaine

Powder cocaine

Hallucinogens

Heroin or other opiates

Miscellaneous other (amphetamines, inhalants, etc.)

Beer or malt liquor

Wine or champagne

Hard liquor or mixed drinks

Generic terms--e.g., “booze”