Why do you think the media portrays crime as increasing, when national numbers show that violent crime has been decreasing since 1994?

Question 5
Crime in the Media
Spend 1-2 days noting images of crime in the media on television and/or in movies. Watch the nightly news, television programs, movies, and read newspaper articles (online or in print). Keep a journal of what types of crimes are reported, discussed or shown, who are the perpetrators of the crime (gender, race, ethnicity, age, social class), who are the victims of the crime (gender, race, ethnicity, age, social class), and how is the crime handled by law enforcement. Note the overall message about crime in society that you receive from these images.
Go to the website for the Bureau of Justice Statistics at www.bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov. Click on the subheading, “Crime Type,” at the left side of the page. Read through the summaries for each crime type, noting major themes and trends.
Write a 500 word essay describing your findings from the media analysis and comparing these media images with the information you found on the website for the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Be sure to discuss, differences between media images about crime and realities based on national statistics. What information from the website surprised you? What is your overall reaction about this information? Why do you think the media portrays crime as increasing, when national numbers show that violent crime has been decreasing since 1994?
Question 6
Final
For the final in this course, you will create a photographic essay to illustrate a social problem, summarize and discuss that social problem using sociological concepts and one sociological perspective, and research two different social movements devoted to solving or alleviating this social problem. Final Directions:
Review the Photo Essays that are presented throughout your text.
Choose a social problem of interest and important to you. Create your own Photo Essay that illustrates the social problem.
In at least 400 words summarize and discuss the social problem using sociological concepts discussed in the text.
In at least 400 words analyze the social problem using one of the sociological perspectives (structural-functionalism, conflict, or symbolic interactionist) presented in the text. How would this sociological perspective examine and explain the social problem?
Research two different organizations or social movement devoted to solving or alleviating this social problem. In at least 400 words compare and contrast the methods or strategies these organizations use to address the social problem and your evaluation of these methods.
Turn in a document that includes the photo essay, summary of the social problems, analysis using the sociological perspective, and evaluation of organizations that address this social problem. Document should be approximately 1000 words plus the Photo Essay.