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California State University, Dominguez Hills
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Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: January 26, 2007
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

CRMJ/SOCA 385 Media, Crime, Criminal Justice

You will be held accountable for the readings and discussion questions listed here. There will be no "testing." That means that you will not have to live in anxious anticipation of what we will ask and how much you will have to know. Instead, we will provide weekly discussion questions, lectures, essays, and concepts we feel that you should know as a result of having taken this course. You will assure us of that learning and receive your grade for the questions and concepts about which you choose to write and talk with us. In addition you will find detailed explanations and examples on our grading policies in the first week's reading.

* * * * *

Week 3: Week of January 28, 2007

All creative measures/visual presentations must be approved via email.

Topic: Making News

Preparatory Readings:



• Potter and Kappeler. Constructing Crime Preface, Introduction, Chapters 1-5 .
• Rafter . Shots in the Mirror. Chapter 2.
• Surette . Media, Crime and Criminal Justice . Chapter 2.
  
  
• W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation
• Metaphor and Theory. Read the Blind Men and the Elephant fable. Think about how this fable relates to the course.
• "theory, policy, practice"

Lecture related links:



• Join the Yahoo Discussion Group with CSUDH students.
  
  
• Sociology of Knowledge Files
• Ray Surette's website
• Internet Movie Database




Concepts to be covered:



• definition of the situation
• the social construction of reality
• crime waves
• moral panic
• "theory, policy, practice"



Discussion Questions:

Note:

1. Discuss which of Sasson's five frames you feel do the best in the media. [Surette, p. 54, Q.2] Relate your answer to Part 1 "Making News" in P&K.
2. What is a "moral panic"? Provide a recent example to illustrate this concept.
3. In "Crime Waves as Ideology," why does Mark Fishman state: "Crime waves are prime candidates for ideology," (P&K, p. 42)? What are some recent examples of crime waves? Why.
4. Relate Berger and Luckmann's concept, "the social construction of reality" to the articles in Part 1 "Making News" in P & K.
5. Read Theory, Policy Practice. How do moral panics and crime waves relate to "theory, policy, practice" (apply the Surette and P&K readings)? Why do we insist that you consider the relationship also in the reverse direction: practice to policy to theory (relate this to Rafter's Chapter 2)?



Suggested Creative Measures:




Note: Start thinking about ideas for your creative measures, especially your visual presentation for the first half of this course. Must relate to "media, crime, and the criminal justice system." Must be approved before starting your creative measure. Cannot be something that you are doing or have done for another course. Research cannot be 100% online (i.e., google, askjeeves). Must conduct library research using scholarly works, (not the popular press -- Time Magazine, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated). No term papers! Allow time to dialogue and present your creative measure in class. Email me your idea.



• Make an "explosion box/card" that focuses on this week's topic, "Making News."
• View "Rashomon." Relate this movie to the "social construction of reality" and the "definition of the situation."
• Select one demographic characteristic (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, age, social class). Trace historically how this characteristic has been portrayed in the media. Explain why these media images have changed over time.
• Watch one "reality television" program. Critique what is real with what is not real. Explain why. Relate your critique to some of the concepts discussed in class.



Recommended Readings:



• Gregg Barak. Media, Process, and the Social Construction of Crime.
• Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann. The Social Construction of Reality.
• Herbert Schiller. Information Inequality.
• Herbert Schiller. Mind Managers.
• Gaye Tuchman. The TV Establishment.
• Todd Gitlin. The Whole World is Watching.