Crime, Media, and Reality: Examining Mixed Messages About Crime and Justice in Popular Media

(Hardback)

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Description

In today's society, the public perception of crime has been skewed by how the media depicts it. People use the media for enjoyment, companionship, surveillance, and interpretation. The problem is that it becomes hard to separate fact from entertainment. This raises several questions. How are we consuming media Are we consuming reality within the news And are we consuming harmless pleasure from entertainment media In Crime, Media, and Reality: Examining Mixed Messages about Crime and Justice in Popular Media, Venessa Garcia and Samantha Garcia Arkerson focus predominantly on the social constructions of crime and justice and how we absorb them. They look at the influence of crime news and true crime television series that prevent the public from understanding pure entertainment from the realities of crime and justice. They bring to light the social science knowledge missed by media "infotainment," which has blurred the line between information and entertainment. Throughout, all different forms of media are discussed, news media, crime dramas and true crime television series. In doing so, they keep all of its fascinating coverage while uncovering the reality of crime and justice. This book adds significant information to the constructs held by the general public by placing media depictions into historical, legal, and social context.

Reviews

A lively and engaging read that tells us much not only about the American media but also about the nature of power and politics in the States. With its emphasis on race, gender, crime and justice, Crime, Media, and Reality is a distinctive contribution to the burgeoning literature on media and crime in the U.S. -- Yvonne Jewkes, professor of criminology, University of Brighton
In Crime, Media and Reality, Venessa Garcia and Samantha Arkerson provide an authoritative but also engaging and highly readable account of the media representation of crime, criminals and the criminal justice system. Crime and justice are staple elements across all forms of media and this comprehensive new text highlights the importance of academic criminology acknowledging the extent, popularity and influence of crime stories. -- Ian Marsh, PhD, principal lecturer in criminology, Liverpool Hope University

Author Bio

Venessa Garcia earned her doctorate in sociology from the State University of New York University at Buffalo in 1999 and is a full-time member of the faculty with the Department of Criminal Justice at New Jersey City University. Dr. Garcias research focus is in the areas of women and criminal justice as well as crime and media. Her media research has been published in books and encyclopedias. She has published research on women, race and policing in academic journals. Dr. Garcias last book was titled, Gendered Justice: Intimate Partner Violence and the Criminal Justice System, also with Rowman & Littlefield. She also published a book on female victims of crime. Dr. Garcia is currently working on books in the areas of women and policing and female offenders. Samantha Garcia Arkerson is a student of early childhood development. When not working with children she enjoys writing short stories, drawing, and photography. Her art was displayed at the Union County Teen Arts Festival, and she has been commissioned on other art projects. Samantha brings to this book a generational perspective.