Analyze the role of the media in the public's perceptions of crime and the criminal justice system. Give examples from both the news and entertainment media

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The news media is not constrained by formal presumptions or the rules of evidence. They are free to report any information that comes their way, though the vast majority of it would never be admissible in court. They are free to speculate and, in the case of many talk shows, give personal opinions as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant. In the Casey Anthony case, the public was inundated with information about the case even prior to the arrest of Casey Anthony, with opinions already being given as to the outcome of any future legal proceedings. The presumption of innocence was left to the jury and, much to the outrage of the public, she was acquitted at trial in spite of being convicted in the court of public opinion.

Television dramas, such as CSI, are created for entertainment and tend to focus on only the most serious crimes with complex investigations requiring a multitude of scientific tests that are completed in a remarkably short period of time. Reality is quite different and often too mundane to keep an audience entertained. The popularity of these shows, along with other factors, has led to an increased expectation on the part of jurors that scientific evidence will be presented in almost all cases, known as "the CSI effect.". The expectation of scientific proof that did not materialize may have led to the acquittal of Casey Anthony.