COMM 420 - Media Portrayal of Crime

Class Hours: 3
Lab/Discussion: 0
Credits: 3

Prerequisite: COMM 101 or JRNL 105 or CRIM 101 or departmental permission
An examination of the portrayal of crime in the media (television, film, newspapers, music, video games, electronic/Internet). This includes, but is not limited to, victims, offenders, criminal justice actors, and the criminal justice system. Of importance is how the media select what is newsworthy and how they describe and/or alter criminal justice issues. Attention is paid to the media’s influence on perceptions of crime, the ethics behind the media’s perceptual influence, criminology and criminal justice issues of the general population, and the resultant criminal justice policies. Seminar based. (Also offered as CRIM 420; may not be taken as duplicate credit.)