Why we fear crime

Moral panics have been driven by the media, forming our perception of crime ever since we were all in nappies. [1] Media giants like the Sun newspaper now have a tight grasp on forming the opinion on young Britons, who like me can becrimely of influenced now and again. Our lack of knowledge is filled with allegations which are consistently pushed into the ‘limelight’ and our minds by the media, who blow stories out of proportion for their own interests. [2]Think about it. Who made Joe Blog think young black boys were the ONLY group rioting and looting on London’s streets in 2011?....my point exactly!

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Tara Setmayer of Blaze News, stressed Cohen’s point, suggesting that ‘social repetition creates a person’s [perceived] reality’, which also supports Ken Chilton view, that the disproportionate publishing of crime in contrast to other news causes a ‘hyper-awareness’ of crime – which births public anxiety when the story often superficial. [3] If the question of whether most news reports are a revolving belt of the SAME CRIMES, in the SAME AREAS, by the SAME ETHNIC GROUPS is true or not, I hope you can see it’s definitely not a coincidence.

Still here? Well let’s dig a litter deeper then.

Cohen’s research highlighted  ‘Mods and Rockers’ and ‘hippies’ as the old victims of media slandering, but the media of Broken Britain has shifted its focus towards black males and poor white males – equally to do with class as well as race. It’s the same old story isn’t it? How different is today’s criminalisation from the 90s? [4] This is an issue which sets the foundation of the fear towards crime. Jones goes on to say that 'Chav’s' are ‘blamed’ as criminals also, rather than the ‘Thatcher-like polices’ putting so called ‘Chav’s’ in the poorer environment which inevitably breeds more crime. [6]

I leave you with this picture...

A group of 14 year old boys who were involved in a positive community project were targeted by newspapers early this year to comment on issues stereotypically associated with male youths; ‘guns...knives and gangs’. The media in this case wanted to exaggerate their comments, rather than shine a light on their good deeds. [7] This is deviancy amplification in its finest form.

Now, there is only one REAL question left to ask, what are YOU and I going to do about it? Love is always a great place to start.

  Anthony Ladipo. .