CRM 470 Media, Culture, & Crime
For many of us, our initial understanding of crime in the United States is shaped by how
criminality is portrayed in the media (i.e. television, film, newspapers, magazines,
internet, and music). As a result, we often develop very strong opinions and assumptions
regarding the extent of crime in the U.S. and what needs to happen in order to prevent
future criminality. Unfortunately, such portrayals often fail to accurately represent the
reality of crime in our culture. The intent of this course is to examine, critique, and
understand how crime is represented in our mass media in comparison to the reality of
crime in our culture. There is potential for you to gain a better understanding of how
crime and the criminal justice system are represented in the media vs. the reality of crime
and the criminal justice system, the true nature of crime in our society, what types of
criminality are most pervasive, and a working knowledge of what may be done to prevent
crime.