The messages press narratives ultimately give and the implications for public perceptions and social responses to sexual offending in contemporary society are discussed. Chapter 1 describes the structure of the book and provides a critical overview of the dominant theoretical approaches -- the liberal pluralist and radical readings -- that have traditionally underpinned the sociological analysis of news production. Chapter 2 seeks to abstract, distill, and refine those elements of the radical and liberal pluralist interpretations that can be applied best to explain the construction of sex crime in the regional press. Chapter 3 outlines and evaluates the criteria that inform news selection and production, and the representation of sex crime. Chapter 4 provides an empirical analysis of regional press representations of sex crime in Northern Ireland between 1985 and 1997. It examines the way in which sex offenses were constructed throughout the period, highlighting in particular major changes and continuities in the amount, nature, and style of reporting. Chapter 5 seeks to explain those changes by situating the construction of sex crime within its wider social, political, cultural, ideological, and commercial contexts. For some, the form of sex crime coverage is highly problematic. Chapter 6 explores practitioners’ views and concerns about the representation of sex crime in the press. It establishes the key areas of consensus and controversy relating to the representation of sex crime in the press. Chapter 7 seeks to resolve some of the tensions by locating journalists’ and practitioners’ often conflicting views within an empirical framework. Chapter 8 draws together theoretical and empirical considerations and moves toward a more holistic analysis of the press construction of sex crime. Chapter 9 discusses the conclusions of the book and offers some suggestions as to how press representations of sex crime might be expected to develop in the future. 4 appendices, 294 references, index