Stereotyping and Typifications
Media representations create powerful stereotypes about who commits crimes. In the UK, older generations often see young people as "hoodies and thugs," whilst in the US, many people automatically picture criminals as young black men.
Aaron Cicourel discovered that police, judges, and other criminal justice professionals have typifications - mental pictures of typical criminals. They see the usual suspect as a young, lower-class male, often unemployed, from a rough area, with a bad attitude and poor educational record.
This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy where people start acting out the negative labels society gives them. If you're constantly treated like a criminal, you might eventually become one.
The 2011 London riots showed how media coverage affects punishment. After Mark Duggan's death sparked protests and rioting, the media's sensationalised coverage helped create an atmosphere where rioters received ridiculously harsh sentences - often completely out of proportion to their actual crimes.
Think About It: Typifications don't just affect who gets arrested - they influence who gets stopped, searched, and how severely they're punished by the courts.