How media stories can distort the frequency and severity of crime

One example of a crime story that was embellished or distorted in this manner is the case of the Central Park jogger. In 1989, a white woman was brutally attacked and raped in Central Park. Five black and Latino teenagers were wrongfully convicted of the crime and spent years in prison before they were exonerated. The media coverage of the case was highly sensationalized, and the teenagers were often portrayed as dangerous criminals. This coverage contributed to the public's perception that black and Latino men are more likely to commit violent crimes, even though the data does not support this.

Another example is the case of Trayvon Martin. In 2012, Martin, an unarmed black teenager, was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a white man. The media coverage of the case was highly divisive, with some outlets portraying Martin as a thug and others portraying him as a victim. The coverage also focused on the race of the two men, which led to accusations of racism.

These are just two examples of how media stories can distort the frequency and severity of crime based on the race or ethnicity of the victim or perpetrator. This can have a number of negative consequences, including increased fear and distrust of minority groups, and a bias in the criminal justice system.

It is important to be aware of how media stories can distort our perception of crime. We should critically evaluate the information that we are presented with, and be wary of stories that seem to be based on stereotypes or prejudice.

Media stories can distort the frequency and severity of crime based on the race or ethnicity of either the victim or perpetrator in a number of ways, including:

• Embedding racialized language: This can be done by using terms that are associated with certain racial or ethnic groups, such as "gang violence" or "inner-city crime."
• Focusing on crimes committed by minority groups: This can give the impression that these groups are more likely to commit crimes, even if the data does not support this.
• Underreporting crimes committed by white people: This can also give the impression that white people are less likely to commit crimes, even if the data does not support this.
• Attributing crimes to a particular race or ethnicity even when the perpetrator's race or ethnicity is unknown: This can create the impression that certain racial or ethnic groups are more likely to commit crimes, even if there is no evidence to support this.