PowerPoint Presentation

[Audio] Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening. At whatever time you are viewing this presentation, Group 10 would like to send you a greeting. We will be presenting on the topic of how "Media Influences Crime and Leads to an Increase in Violence.".

[Audio] The group consists of three members Orlando Cooke Donnaecia Johnson and Vanesta Mullings.

[Audio] Let us look at a little history on media. Media has been in existence since prehistoric times when cave dwellers employed cave paintings to retain knowledge. The printing press revolutionized the dissemination of information in the 15th century, opening the way for the development of written media such as books, newspapers, and magazines. By the 20th century Radio, television, and film made it even easier to transmit knowledge and entertainment by the twentieth century. Then came the internet and social media with the digital age revolutionizing how people communicate and consume media on an entirely different scale. We can then say . Media has advanced and continues to serve as an important component of our culture, influencing how individuals learn, communicate, and comprehend the world around them..

[Audio] Media is defined by Nordqvist (2016) as the channels of communication via which people spread news, music, movies, education, message propagation, and other information. The media has its positives but sadly come also with drawbacks, one of which is its effect on crime and violence. This study presentation aims to explain the basis for the hypothesis that media influences crime using three crime theories that support the research findings, notably social learning, labeling theory, and social control theory..

[Audio] The researchers used a survey to collect data. This survey was conducted on crime and media. The purpose of the study was to determine if media influences crime and if the influence can lead to an increase in violence.This survey was conducted between April 14, 2023, to April 18, 2023. This information was collected through the internet using Microsoft Forms where a link was distributed to participants to complete the survey..

[Audio] The survey consisted of two sections with a total of 15 questions which included both open and closed-ended questions. Section One consisted of two questions that were aimed at collecting demographic information such as the age and gender of the participants. Section two consisted of 13 questions aimed at collecting information that would answer the topic. There were 35 respondents in total and they were from both genders between the ages of 18 and 45 years and over. In summary, after analysis, the researchers gathered that media can influence crime. Now let get to the meat of the matter!.

[Audio] Does the portrayal or glorification of crime in media lead to increased crime?.

[Audio] The researchers were able to link the findings to the Social Learning Theory. The figure displayed indicates that music has the most influence on crime and thus means individuals are influenced by crime.

[Audio] Media plays a vital role in the perception of crime within any society. Official crime statistics indicate that the majority of criminal activities occur in lower-class environments and are committed by young men between the ages of 16-25. Research found that individuals between the ages 16-21 are more likely to be influenced by the violence portrayed in the media. Additionally, individuals aged 27 years and older are less likely to be influenced by violent media. Previous research has shown that criminality is heightened during teenage years, peaks during late adolescence to early adulthood then gradually declines or stops during adulthood. This corroborates the social learning explanation of crime. This theory holds that behaviour is learned through observing and imitating the behaviours of others. Surprisingly, only two of the participants believe that video games have an influence on crime. However, the majority of participants believe that music has the most influence on crime and thus promotes criminality. Exposure to criminal elements such as gun violence in the media is regarded as a risk factor for increased aggression and decreased empathy among individuals. The majority of participants (15%) believe that the media's influence on crime is based on individual values, satisfying the assumption of social learning that people have the ability to choose what they can be influenced.

[Audio] Does media stereotypes lead to an increase in crime?.

[Audio] The researchers were able to link the labelling theory to their findings. The figure display shows that news reporters are seen as subjective and most times lead the media leads to false representation..

[Audio] Media presents crime stories in ways that can selectively manipulate the views of the public and create a false narrative of the crime. The majority of respondents to question 14 believe that the news is sometimes objective when reporting on criminal activities, which means that the source that people depend on to learn about crime is unreliable. The labelling theory suggests that the stereotypes placed on individuals by society can negatively influence their behaviours. The research also found that 10 respondents hold that the media's portrayal of lower-class individuals pushes them into criminality, and 11 of the respondents think that violence is lauded in music because it sells. The findings gathered from question 10 suggest that people who watch violent media are more likely to be criminals, and that participants assume that people who are less educated are more likely to be influenced by the media. Attaching labels to social classes in the media can lead to an increase in crime..

[Audio] Now, Is media a threat to social control?.

The researchers were able to link the Social Control theory to their findings.The figure below indicates that the public view harsher punishments as the best method to reducing crime..

[Audio] The research found that the media is influencing crime and promoting criminality, which indicates that the media can weaken social bonds. The social control theory suggests that people can be influenced by the relationships they have with others and weakened bonds may lead individuals to commit crimes. The researchers also found that individuals between the ages 16-21 are more likely to commit crimes, and violent content can influence crime. Only one respondent believes that the best method of social control is a crime plan, but studies have shown that the penal system does little to rehabilitate criminals and delinquents. Additionally, the respondents assume that the media's portrayal of lower-class youths suggests that the media has the ability to weaken social bonds by influencing people into deviant behaviours. This suggests that the media's influence on crime threatens social control within society..

[Audio] So to conclude, based on the research conducted media has an influence on increasing crime in any society due to its violent content, oversimplification of factual crime stories, and demonization of criminals. This has caused the public to push for harsher punishments for crimes, but crime control requires more than parental supervision and harsher punishments. An investigation into the other causes of crime is also needed..

[Audio] Here are two of the recommendations we have based on our findings; One, The police and or the government can implement a retroactive justice system. This implementation can replace harsher punishments. It will aim at helping offenders take responsibility for their actions by making amends and working towards repairing the harm they have caused. This can help to promote rehabilitation and reduce the recidivism rate. Two, Further research can be conducted by other groups to gain more information on other factors that influence crime and promote violence. Thank you for your time!.