Prior to his attempted assassination of President Reagan in 1981, Hinckley was strongly influenced by the scenario of a Hollywood film and vicarious involvement with an actress in the film. In addition, the verdict -- not guilty by reason of insanity -- as reported by the press and television, shocked the public and generated questions regarding the legal procedures that allowed an apparent assassin to escape punishment. The media has clearly become an important cultural arena for defining, enacting, and legitimating a wide range of behavior, including crime and justice. Remedial action on this issue must begin with audience responsibility. However, this does not absolve the media from acting responsibly and effectively. The most obvious remedial strategy involves the continuing education of both media professionals and the audience. Alvin Toffler has also called for the demassification of society through gradual decentralization to reduce the influence of highly centralized institutions. Greater support for public radio and television broadcasting systems would also be desirable. Twenty-nine references are listed.