The mugging label came from the American media, which sensitized the British to this crime before it even appeared. The British press also adopted the American profile of a mugger: he was from a low-income group, probably black, and violent. Thus, press coverage was shaped by outside events, leading the British public and police to expect mugging to occur and to be violent. A news spiral was created when the police began to target mugging, a policy reflected in higher crime rates, thereby reaffirming the public's expectations and attracting more media interest. The public should be aware of the distortions that can arise in such cases.