Content data were collected from six print and three electronic media organizations in six U.S. cities. A theme analysis of content used a combination of coding rules from earlier research. Content was coded from any crime story reported in a newspaper or across an entire broadcast, including crime incident, statistical report, and policy stories. The coding rules were applied to 2,411 newspaper stories and 659 television stories. Various content variables were collected, including the type of crime, source, and criminal justice stage mentioned. In addition, story size was collected as a measurement of the importance of each story. Ethnographic observation of the crime news production process was conducted in one newspaper and one television station in a large metropolitan city to supplement the content findings. Observations were conducted in the summer of 1991. The study found that news media structure their activities to produce stories about crime efficiently. News production involves condensing the large number of local, State, and national crime incidents into a limited amount of news space. In order to meet production demands, reporters establish relationships with sources willing to provide story information. Police involvement in the news production process affects media selection and production decisions. Police, for example, can eliminate a story from media consideration by not releasing a crime incident report. Police also actively further their interests by requesting presentation of specific events. The article concludes that the police have conformed to the pressures of news production and provide news media with images consistent with their needs. Police departments provide events that are of interest to reporters; however, the preferred media image that is supplied by the police is consistent with their goals. News media are not critical of what police sources submit as news, because the stories provided are not inconsistent with what helps the news organization sell news. 3 tables, 9 notes, and 30 references