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Newspaper reporting and the public construction of homicide.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

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Newspaper reporting and the public construction of homicide. / Peelo, Moira; Francis, Brian; Pearson, Jayn et al.
In: British Journal of Criminology, Vol. 44, No. 2, 03.2004, p. 256-275.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Peelo, M, Francis, B, Pearson, J, Soothill, K & Ackerley, E 2004, 'Newspaper reporting and the public construction of homicide.', British Journal of Criminology, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 256-275. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/44.2.256

APA

Peelo, M., Francis, B., Pearson, J., Soothill, K., & Ackerley, E. (2004). Newspaper reporting and the public construction of homicide. British Journal of Criminology, 44(2), 256-275. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/44.2.256

Vancouver

Peelo M, Francis B, Pearson J, Soothill K, Ackerley E. Newspaper reporting and the public construction of homicide. British Journal of Criminology. 2004 Mar;44(2):256-275. doi: 10.1093/bjc/44.2.256

Author

Peelo, Moira ; Francis, Brian ; Pearson, Jayn et al. / Newspaper reporting and the public construction of homicide. In: British Journal of Criminology. 2004 ; Vol. 44, No. 2. pp. 256-275.

Bibtex

@article{9f106384c6be49eeb5417fe538aef89d,
title = "Newspaper reporting and the public construction of homicide.",
abstract = "This paper outlines the distorted nature of press reporting of English and Welsh homicides. We investigated the reporting of 2,685 homicides in England and Wales in three national newspapers: The Times, the Mail and the Mirror in the period 1993–97. By systematically charting the nature of reporting distortions, we explore the contribution of newspapers to the social construction of homicide. The study analysed a wide range of variables to explain homicide story salience: the circumstance of the killing was found to play a crucial role in whether a homicide is reported, with sexual homicides and motiveless acts being more likely to be reported. Homicides involving young children are highly likely to be reported, but infant homicides are not. These public narratives construct homicide differently to the reality of illegal killing, highlighting particular versions of {\textquoteleft}otherness{\textquoteright} and danger. Such distorted contributions to framing criminological problems may, we argue, foster political and social responses to homicide that are not based on statistical reality but media representations of reality.",
author = "Moira Peelo and Brian Francis and Jayn Pearson and Keith Soothill and Elizabeth Ackerley",
note = "50% contribution RAE_import_type : Journal article RAE_uoa_type : Social Work and Social Policy & Administration",
year = "2004",
month = mar,
doi = "10.1093/bjc/44.2.256",
language = "English",
volume = "44",
pages = "256--275",
journal = "British Journal of Criminology",
issn = "1464-3529",
publisher = "Oxford University Press",
number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Newspaper reporting and the public construction of homicide.

AU - Peelo, Moira

AU - Francis, Brian

AU - Pearson, Jayn

AU - Soothill, Keith

AU - Ackerley, Elizabeth

N1 - 50% contribution RAE_import_type : Journal article RAE_uoa_type : Social Work and Social Policy & Administration

PY - 2004/3

Y1 - 2004/3

N2 - This paper outlines the distorted nature of press reporting of English and Welsh homicides. We investigated the reporting of 2,685 homicides in England and Wales in three national newspapers: The Times, the Mail and the Mirror in the period 1993–97. By systematically charting the nature of reporting distortions, we explore the contribution of newspapers to the social construction of homicide. The study analysed a wide range of variables to explain homicide story salience: the circumstance of the killing was found to play a crucial role in whether a homicide is reported, with sexual homicides and motiveless acts being more likely to be reported. Homicides involving young children are highly likely to be reported, but infant homicides are not. These public narratives construct homicide differently to the reality of illegal killing, highlighting particular versions of ‘otherness’ and danger. Such distorted contributions to framing criminological problems may, we argue, foster political and social responses to homicide that are not based on statistical reality but media representations of reality.

AB - This paper outlines the distorted nature of press reporting of English and Welsh homicides. We investigated the reporting of 2,685 homicides in England and Wales in three national newspapers: The Times, the Mail and the Mirror in the period 1993–97. By systematically charting the nature of reporting distortions, we explore the contribution of newspapers to the social construction of homicide. The study analysed a wide range of variables to explain homicide story salience: the circumstance of the killing was found to play a crucial role in whether a homicide is reported, with sexual homicides and motiveless acts being more likely to be reported. Homicides involving young children are highly likely to be reported, but infant homicides are not. These public narratives construct homicide differently to the reality of illegal killing, highlighting particular versions of ‘otherness’ and danger. Such distorted contributions to framing criminological problems may, we argue, foster political and social responses to homicide that are not based on statistical reality but media representations of reality.

U2 - 10.1093/bjc/44.2.256

DO - 10.1093/bjc/44.2.256

M3 - Journal article

VL - 44

SP - 256

EP - 275

JO - British Journal of Criminology

JF - British Journal of Criminology

SN - 1464-3529

IS - 2

ER -