The Media

Tinkerbelle · 09-02-2005, 14:25

Does the media affect our perception of crime. Why is most peoples main fear of crime, murder, when the chances of being murdered by a complete stranger are remote and most victims know they're assailent and are usually a family member. We have lived with terrorism from the unrest in N.I. for years but why now does there seem a World wide panic, is this the media's influence?

pendy · 09-02-2005, 14:45

You say we have lived with terrorism - how many people is that true of? Yes, living in London there was a time when one would view every parked car with suspicion. I can remember it well, I heard the Harrods bomb which killed two police officers, and the one in Chelsea.

However, at least there we were dealing with people who were careful of their own safety, and who would often give a warning - the reason being to create maximum disruption rather than just loss of life. We are now dealing with fanatics who believe that if they die in the cause of their religion, they will spend eternity in total bliss. They really do believe that. If your life here is not great, what have to to lose? There is also the fact that these people are prepared to create maximum loss of life. Can you imagine the most fanatical IRA member flying a plane into a skyscraper? They will happily die if they can kill.

I don't, therefore, think it is just media whip-up. There is a very real threat, and it may be closer to home this time .... some of those arrested under the Anti-Terrorism laws (some of whom are still held) came from Blackburn. We should all be aware, not constantly terrified, but aware of the potentialities.

Margaret Pilkington · 09-02-2005, 15:20

I think the newspapers do tend to sensationalise crimes, but then they are in the business of selling newspapers. I also think that with electronic forms of communication news gets around far faster than ever before, and the world seems a smaller and sometimes a more hostile place. I tend to look for bias in news reporting and would look at different sources as this will sometimes give a more balanced picture.

Margaret Pilkington · 09-02-2005, 15:26

When you talk of the perception of crime..... I think that the perception of justice or lack of it is just as worrying. It seems that there is little in the way of deterrents to put criminals off. People are probably just as scared of apprehending a burglar in their house because the demarcation lines of what they could legally do were very fuzzy.
Maybe with recent changes that allow reasonable force will alter this.....although how does an 80 year old pensioner exert reasonable force on a young burglar?

Cafu01 · 09-02-2005, 15:26

yep good point

Margaret Pilkington · 09-02-2005, 15:31

The next question is...... how do you define 'reasonable force'.......if you tackle a burglar in your own home and you seriously injure him, who is to say that some hot shot leftie lawyer will shoot you down in flames?

There are more worries about crime other than being murdered or raped. Burglary is common and when you have your property burgled you feel like you have been violated and your personal space becomes insecure......so much so that some people who have been burgled want to move out of their home.

Lampman · 11-02-2005, 12:33

Concerning the worries about wether we could be prosecuted for dealing with a burglar,there is an old SAS saying.

BETTER TO BE JUDGED BY 12 THAN CARRIED BY SIX!

WillowTheWhisp · 11-02-2005, 14:11

I think people have just become totally disillusioned with the police force and the criminal justice system here. Victims seem to end up worse off than villains.