Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Crime television

Courtroom situations and crime have forever been known to make it into the average person’s living room. On any night of the week when a person flips through the channels on a television at least one crime show is on, if not more. In addition to this the average television viewer has a plethora of news programs to choose from. Crime television can be described as police procedurals, legal dramas, other police shows, or any program that shows violence in the form of an offense. These crime television shows that make their way in living rooms across the nation effect actual crime. Because of this television⎯crime television in particular⎯ should be censored.

News programs such as CNN or the local news can be used to keep the public informed. Without shows like this many people would not know what was going on not only locally but worldwide as well. Even though these shows are not directly crime television, these shows do report crimes. To not report this would be like trying to shield people form what is already going on around them.

News programs are not the only way crime comes into people’s lives. Misdemeanors have been making their way into our lives through various programs on television everyday. On the plus side entertainment can be an advantage of crime television. Any of the three CSI shows have “over 70 million” viewers on any given week (Shelton 2008). If these types of shows disappeared completely there would be millions of unhappy viewers. Taking away these programs altogether is not going to solve anything. Taking crime out of the public eye does not mean that crime goes away. The “CSI effect” is still enough of a concern that it should be taken into consideration a little more.

Even though not every viewer is a potential criminal, the risk of copycat crimes does exist. Researchers have been studying if the “CSI effect” really does exist. The “CSI effect” is simply the phenomena of the popular CSI shows, or shows like it, impacting crime. An example of the risk of copycat crimes is mode copiers who already intend to commit a crime and who receive a method from a media event or show (Shelton 2008). This could be a person, who is potentially going to steal a car, using techniques that they saw in a police drama to break into the car.

Reality and fiction are being blurred these days. The average American spends about 170 minutes a day watching television or movies (Yang 2004). Copycat crimes do exist. With more people in America spending unnecessary amounts of time watching television, the risk of a copycat crime is even greater. Excessive sex and violence on the television can lead to similar behavior in real life. People become inspired by the portrayal of criminal activity. As one study shows, “violent content [on television] increased others’ aggressive tendencies”(Hoffner 1999). The Tylenol tampering incidents of 1982 and the assassination attempt depicted in the 1976 film Taxi Driver are two actual copycat crime examples.

In the Tylenol tampering incident of 1982 someone murdered seven people in the Chicago area by putting cyanide in Tylenol capsules. The Food and Drug Administration “counts 270 incidents of suspected product tampering that have been reported around the country in the month since those Chicago-area deaths (Church1982).” Warnings about the tampering were spread throughout the nation. The story gained a tremendous amount of covering following the event. A couple years later Excedrin was tampered with. Tampering with the product Encaprin, a pain reliever similar to Tylenol, forced the product to stop being sold (AP 1986). The Tylenol tampering incident sparked other crimes involving a variety of medicine and food; some of the crimes occurred within just a month after the incident.

A movie released in 1993 called “The Program” had a scene where the college football star shows how tough he is by lying in the middle of a busy highway while cars rushed by him in the dark. Multiple teenagers have repeated this stunt. On the same Saturday night three guys from different places laid down right in the middle of busy highways. One of the boys was killed instantly during the reenactment. Witnesses confessed that everyone there that night had seen the movie in the past week. Witnesses also admitted that the act was a direct imitation of the scene (Hinds 1993). Another incident of a copycat crime occurred when an episode of Beavis and Butt-Head was “suggesting to kids that they burn down their homes…[the episode] led to a child trying to do just that” (Learning 2005). Many television viewers are imitating what they watch.

Although crime and the court system make for great entertainment, there can be a down side to entertainment besides copycat crimes. These shows have brought viewers’ expectations even higher in an actual court because of all the new science and technology that is used in these entertainment shows. Jurors are treating forensic evidence like gold meaning that this life or death evidence is highly regarded as truth. However forensic evidence wrongfully accused Cynthia Sommer of killing her husband when he died in 2002. Doctors originally believed there was no evidence of arsenic; however, tests had shown an abnormal amount of poison in the husband’s liver. In a second trial, DNA tests found no trace of arsenic, so Sommer was released after being sentenced to life (Jimenez 2008). The tissue sample had somehow been contaminated in the lab. Even though the expert had reported that the arsenic levels were “very puzzling,” no one had any reason to doubt the expert or the evidence (CBS 2008). Many jurors think that forensic evidence is foolproof. Jurors even expect this kind of evidence to convict someone.

Even if crime television does not provide the motivation for crime in real life it greatly influences the techniques used by criminals. Most copycat crimes are by repeat offenders rather a first-time offender. At least a third of prisoners who are released will end up back in jail within three years. Also there are over 2 million prisoners currently (Henslin 2007). Even if you only take these people into consideration it is a substantial enough number of people that can be influenced by television to commit copycat crimes.

Extensive research has been done on copycat crimes. One researcher argued that copycat crimes are “common enough to influence the total crime picture” (Learning 2005). The current relationship between copycat crime and media coverage is still not completely understood.

The risk of copycat crimes is not the only relationship between television and crime. Some crimes are used to make for great television. Occasionally major news stories get slightly altered so that a program like CSI can use it for a show. Additionally some crimes are committed so that a person can get on television. One can only wonder if one of the many factors playing into the shooting at Virginia Tech was that the shooter wanted to be on television. This is shown by the fact that two hours after the first shooting a package of a video recording and writings were mailed to NBC News. Nevertheless even the Virginia Tech shooting has inspired copycat crimes. There have also been links to the Virginia Tech shooter and the columbine shooters.

If all types of crime television shows disappeared completely there would be millions of unhappy viewers. The problem is not going to be solved by taking away these programs altogether. It would almost be insulting to shield people from is already going on around them. Nevertheless television should be censored to some degree. There has already been several hearing in the U.S. Congress about the issue of controls on the depictions of crime and violence. These hearings will continue as long as people decide that the media should be censored to some degree. One question remains: if a child watches thousands of violent acts and crime in cartoons and other programs will the child have any long-term impact as they grow up?


Work Cited
Ap. "Two Chain Stores Halt Sales of Encaprin After a Threat." The New York Times 29 Mar. 1986. 23 Apr. 2008 .
Church, George J. "Copycats are on the Prowl." Time 08 Nov. 1982. 20 Apr. 2008 .
Hendershot, Heather. Saturday Morning Censors: Television Regulation Before the V- Chip. Duke UP, 1998.
Henslin, J. M Essentials of Sociology: A down-to-earth approach. 7th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2007.
Hinds, Michael D. "Not Like the Movie: a Dare Leads to Death." The New York Times 19 Oct. 1993. 20 Apr. 2008 .
Hoffner, Cynthia. "Support for Censorship of Television Violence." SAGE Journals Online (1999). 15 Apr. 2008 .
Jimenez, Jose L. "Charges Against Widow Dropped in Marine's Death." The San Diego Union Tribune 17 Apr. 2008. 22 Apr. 2008 .
"Learning." 22 Nov. 2005. FSU. 7 Apr. 2008 .
Shelton, Donald E. United States. The Research, Development and Evaluation Agency.
Department of Justice. The 'CSI Effect': Does It Really Exist? 17 Mar. 2008. 8 Apr. 2008 .
"US and World." Cbs. San Diego. 18 Apr. 2008. 20 Apr. 2008 .
Yang, Sarah. "Americans Spend More Energy and Time Watching TV Than on Exercise, Finds New Study." UC Berkley News 10 Mar. 2004. 15 Apr. 2008 .

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Crime Television-Draft

Courtroom situations and crime have forever been known to make it into the average person’s living room. On any night of the week when a person flips through the channels on a television at least one crime show is on, if not more. In addition to this the average television viewer has a plethora of news programs to choose from. Crime television can be described as police procedurals, legal dramas, other police shows, or any program that shows violence in the form of an offense. These crime television shows that make their way in living rooms across the nation effect actual crime. Because of this television⎯crime television in particular⎯ should be censored.

News programs such as CNN or the local news can be used to keep the public informed. Without shows like this many people would not know what was going on not only locally but worldwide as well. Even though these shows are not directly crime television, these shows do report crimes.

News programs are not the only way crime comes into people’s lives. Crime has been making its way into our lives through various programs on television everyday. Entertainment can be an advantage of crime television. Any of the three CSI shows have “over 70 million” viewers on any given week (Shelton 2008). If these types of shows disappeared completely there would be millions of unhappy viewers. Taking away these programs altogether is not going to solve anything. The “CSI effect” is still enough of a concern that it should be taken in consideration a little more.

Although crime and the court system make for great entertainment, there can be a down side to entertainment. These shows have brought viewers’ expectations even higher in an actual court because of all the new science and technology that is used in these entertainment shows.
Even though not every viewer is a potential criminal the risk of copycat crimes does exist. Researchers have been studying if the “CSI effect” really does exist. An example of the risk of copycat crimes is mode copiers who already intend to commit a crime and who receive a method from the media event (Shelton 2008). This could be a person, who is potentially going to steal a car, using techniques that they saw in a police drama to break into the car.
Reality and fiction are being blurred these days. The average American spends about 170 minutes a day watching television or movies (Americans spend more energy… 2004). Copycat crimes do exist. With more people in America spending unnecessary amounts of time watching television, the risk of a copycat crime is even greater. Excessive sex and violence on the television can lead to similar behavior in real life. People become inspired by the portrayal of criminal activity. One study showed that “violent content [on tv] increased others’ aggressive tendencies”(Hoffner 1999). The Tylenol tampering incidents of 1982 and the assassination attempt depicted in the 1976 film Taxi Driver are two actual copycat crime examples. Even if crime television does not provide the motivation for crime in real life it greatly influences the techniques used by criminals. Most copycat crimes are by repeat offenders rather a first-time offender. At least a third of prisoners who are released will end up back in jail within three years. Also there are over 2 million prisoners currently (Henslin 2007). Even if you only take these people into consideration it is a substantial enough number of people that can be influenced by copycat crimes.

Extensive research has been done on copycat crimes. One researcher named Surette argued that copycat crimes are “common enough to influence the total crime picture” (Learning 2005). The current relationship between copycat crime and media coverage is still not completely understood.

If all types of crime television shows disappeared completely there would be millions of unhappy viewers. Taking away these programs altogether is not going to solve anything. Television needs to be censored. There has already been several hearing in the U.S. Congress about the issue of controls on the depictions of crime and violence. These hearings will continue as long as people decide that the media should be censored to some degree. If a child watches thousands of violent acts and crime in cartoons and other programs will the child have any long-term impact as they grow up?
Work Cited

Hendershot, Heather. Saturday Morning Censors: Television Regulation Before the V- Chip. Duke UP, 1998.
Henslin, J. M Essentials of Sociology: A down-to-earth approach. 7th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2007.
Hoffner, Cynthia. "Support for Censorship of Television Violence." SAGE Journals Online (1999). 15 Apr. 2008 .
"Learning." 22 Nov. 2005. FSU. 7 Apr. 2008 .
Rojas, Hernando, Dhavan V. Shah, and Ronald J. Faber. "For the Good of Others: Censorship and the Third-Person Effect." Oxford Journals 8 (1996): 163-186. 16 Apr. 2008 .
Shelton, Donald E. United States. The Research, Development and Evaluation Agency. Department of Justice. The 'CSI Effect': Does It Really Exist? 17 Mar. 2008. 8 Apr. 2008 .
Yang, Sarah. "Americans Spend More Energy and Time Watching TV Than on Exercise, Finds New Study." UC Berkley News 10 Mar. 2004. 15 Apr. 2008 .

Friday, April 11, 2008

Negotiated Brief

Thesis: Crime television affects crime and should be censored, but parts of crime television are beneficial to the public and should not be censored

These reasons justify the censorship of crime television.

Copycat crimes

Excessive sex and violence in the media can lead to similar behavior in viewers (studies in the USA have shown this). There is a very real risk of copycat crimes inspired by depictions of criminal activity in the media, even if no criminal act was committed during the creative process. This alone should be justification for censorship
Tylenol tampering incidents of 1982, the assassination attempt depicted in the 1976 film Taxi Driver http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/learning.htm

Censorship helps to protect society for the possibility of copycat behavior.
Ray Surette has done extensive research on copycat crimes since the mid-1980s. He argues that copycat crime is a persistent social phenomenon, common enough to influence the total crime picture, but mainly by influencing crime techniques rather than the motivation to commit a crime or the development of criminal tendencies. A copycat criminal is likely to be a career criminal involved in property offenses rather than a first-time violent offender. The specific relationship between media coverage and the commission of copycat crime is currently unknown, and the social-context factors influencing copycat crimes have not been identified.

Does the “CSI effect” exist

Reality and fiction becoming blurred
70 million people watch one of the 3 CSI shows http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/journals/259/csi-effect.htm
“Mode” copiers were those who already intended to commit a crime and who received a method from the media event. For example, a potential car thief copies the techniques seen on a television police drama for breaking into and hot wiring a car.

These reasons justify the necessary evil of crime television.

Informs the Public

Various news programs and channels such as: Local News, Dateline NBC, 60 Minutes, World News, 20/20, CNN, Nancey Grace, America's Most Wanted. These news programs can chronicle various crimes. Because they are news programs they also include information that is beneficial to the public. This could decrease the amount of people who become victims to certain crimes.

Entertainment

Fictional crime television shows such as: Cold Case Files, CSI, CSI:Miami, CSI: New York, Law and Order, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Criminal Minds etc. These shows have some of the highest viewer ratings in television. Everyone watching crime television is not a potential criminal. There are plenty of uncensored material in the media today that is purely used for entertainment. We shouldn't forget that this type of television has entertainment value.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Brief

Brief- arguing to negotiate
Does television affect crime?

Thesis: Television has a big impact on crime. There should be censorship.

Copycat crimes
  • Excessive sex and violence in the media can lead to similar behavior in viewers (studies in the USA have shown this). There is a very real risk of copycat crimes inspired by depictions of criminal activity in the media, even if no criminal act was committed during the creative process. This alone should be justification for censorship
    • Tylenol tampering incidents of 1982, the assassination attempt depicted in the 1976 film Taxi Driver http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/learning.htm
  • Censorship helps to protect society for the possibility of copycat behavior.
  • Ray Surette has done extensive research on copycat crimes since the mid-1980s. He argues that copycat crime is a persistent social phenomenon, common enough to influence the total crime picture, but mainly by influencing crime techniques rather than the motivation to commit a crime or the development of criminal tendencies. A copycat criminal is likely to be a career criminal involved in property offenses rather than a first-time violent offender. The specific relationship between media coverage and the commission of copycat crime is currently unknown, and the social-context factors influencing copycat crimes have not been identified.

Does the “CSI effect” exist
  • Reality and fiction becoming blurred
    • 70 million people watch one of the 3 CSI shows http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/journals/259/csi-effect.htm
    • “Mode” copiers were those who already intended to commit a crime and who received a method from the media event. For example, a potential car thief copies the techniques seen on a television police drama for breaking into and hot wiring a car.
Affects jurors
  • Jurors and victims come in with pre-conceived notions from tv
  • TV shows affect real life forensics-http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,15611917-1702,00.html
  • Example
    • Robert Blake murder trial, people testified that he asked them to kill his wife but people wanted more than that
    • http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/21/earlyshow/main681949.shtml
  • “Many attorneys, judges, and journalists have claimed that watching television programs like CSI has caused jurors to wrongfully acquit guilty defendants when no scientific evidence has been presented. The mass media quickly picked up on these complaints. This so-called effect was promptly dubbed the "CSI effect," laying much of the blame on the popular television series and its progeny.”