CRM 470 Media, Culture, & Crime

For many of us, our initial understanding of crime in the United States is shaped by how

criminality is portrayed in the media (i.e. television, film, newspapers, magazines,

internet, and music). As a result, we often develop very strong opinions and assumptions

regarding the extent of crime in the U.S. and what needs to happen in order to prevent

future criminality. Unfortunately, such portrayals often fail to accurately represent the

reality of crime in our culture. The intent of this course is to examine, critique, and

understand how crime is represented in our mass media in comparison to the reality of

crime in our culture. There is potential for you to gain a better understanding of how

crime and the criminal justice system are represented in the media vs. the reality of crime

and the criminal justice system, the true nature of crime in our society, what types of

criminality are most pervasive, and a working knowledge of what may be done to prevent

crime.