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MASS MEDIA AND CRIME

NCJ Number
65056
Journal
Indian Journal of Criminology Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1978) Pages: 23-31
Author(s)
ANON
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A 1977 SYMPOSIUM CONVENED BY THE INDIAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY DEALT WITH MASS MEDIA AND CRIME (TELEVISION PROGRAMMING, MOVIES, AND THE INFLUENCE OF MASS MEDIA ON CRIME AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY).
Abstract
PSYCHOLOGISTS ASSERT THAT PEOPLE REMEMBER 20 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY HEAR AND 30 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY SEE; COMBINED SOUND AND VISION ENABLE PEOPLE TO REMEMBER 50 PERCENT. TELEVISION HAS AN IMMENSE POTENTIAL FOR INFORMING, PERSUADING, AND/OR EDUCATING. THE RISK OF MOTIVATING SEX, VIOLENCE, AND CRIME IS PREVALENT IN THE FIELD OF PURE ENTERTAINMENT. THE TRUTHFUL PRESENTATION OF ANY VIOLENT ACT SHOULD IDENTIFY THE NATURE OF THE DISTURBANCE AND NOT JUST WHY IT IS WRONG. SOME INDIVIDUALS CONTEND THAT PSYCHOPATHIC, CONSTITUTIONALLY WEAK, OR EMOTIONALLY MALADJUSTED PERSONS ARE LIKELY TO BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY MOVIES. ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR IS ALSO ATTRIBUTED TO MOVIES OR TELEVISION IN SOME INSTANCES. OTHER INDIVIDUALS FEEL THAT MOVIES HAVE A LEGITIMATE FUNCTION. MOVIES ENTERTAIN AND KEEP PERSONS OCCUPIED WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE BE IN THE STREET AND INVOLVED IN CRIME. ONE PSYCHOLOGIST STATES THAT MASS MEDIA INFLUENCE THE CRIMINAL MIND MORE THAN THE NORMAL MIND. VARIOUS STUDIES EMPHASIZE THE RELATION BETWEEN MASS MEDIA AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, BUT NO SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF NORMAL VERSUS DELINQUENT POPULATIONS HAS BEEN CONDUCTED. ONE SURVEY STUDIED VIOLENCE IN SO-CALLED CHILDREN'S HOURS OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS, BUT SURVEY RESULTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE THAT MASS MEDIA VIOLENCE LEADS TO DELINQUENCY. THE SURVEY CONCLUSION WAS THAT TELEVISION AND OTHER MEDIA FORMS ONLY TRIGGER DELINQUENT TENDENCIES. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)

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