The Influence of Media on Criminal Behavior

Table of Contents

Research on Media and Criminal Behavior
The copycat crime phenomenon
Case studies
- 18-year-old Devin Moore
- Twinkle Dagre Murder Case
References
Authored By

Media plays a vital role in our society. From providing us with necessary information about the happenings in the world to giving us entertainment from all over the world, the media helps people cross boundaries in the comfort of their rooms. But every coin has two sides. Although it has proved efficient in bringing the world together, the media has posed some difficulties and challenges. Media has been entangled with our social lives, and for many, it has become the defining characteristic of their lives. Understanding the influence of Media on criminal behavior and the connection between crime and media is essential in understanding the cultural place that crime and media hold in our society.

Research on Media and Criminal Behavior

There is a large body of research on violent media and criminal behaviour. The study suggests that viewing violent content has an imitative effect on aggressive behaviour. Although a lot of people consume violent media content but do not engage in aggressive behaviour, for some individuals, violent content plays a vital role in the criminal behaviour they get involved in, according to anecdotal evidence.

Criminal & Criminal Behavior

Three main research areas focus on the media’s influence on criminal behaviour. These are as follows-

1.Content

Different forms of media represent crime in various forms. Content analysis of these representations answers ‘how’ crime is represented across multiple media, including newspapers, Television, etc. Media content is analyzed primarily by two methods-

Quantitative analysis

Quantitative analysis deals with the amount of crime and violence presented in media. It covers the number of crime stories reported in newspapers and channels, the number of violent incidents that appear on television programmes, etc. The researchers then compare the ‘media picture’ with the ‘real world picture’ derived from the crime statistics.

Qualitative analysis

In contrast, qualitative studies focus on the nature of crime and violence the media presents. This analysis mainly explores the complex processes through which media images are presented, interpreted, and exchanged by understanding the language used and the influence of moral, political, societal, and environmental factors.

2. Production

To better understand why the media represents crime in a particular way, researchers focus on the production of the press. Some researchers observe media production from a distance, understanding and analysing factors such as ‘news value’ to determine whether a crime is newsworthy.

3. Consumption and Influence

This area is mainly related to the problem of the media’s effect on behaviour. Many people believe that the media glorifies crime, which may lead to the phenomenon of ‘copycat crime’, and many believe that the press exaggerates crime. Apart from creating aggressive behaviour in individuals, violent media also creates anxiety and fear.

The Psychology of Serial Killers

Exposure to Violent media also contributes to the development of ‘mean-world syndrome’, where individuals perceive the world to be more hostile and dangerous than it actually is.

The copycat crime phenomenon

A copycat crime is a crime that is inspired by a previous, publicized crime. A copycat crime is motivated either by a real or a fictional media or an artistic representation of a crime where the offender includes different aspects, such as the modus operandi, selection of victim, etc, from the previous publicized crime. This phenomenon can be understood by the learning theory and is very similar to the copycat of prosocial behaviour. Copycat crime can be affected by several factors, including the relationship of the individual to the media, the characteristics of the media source, criminogenic factors, cultural factors, and demographic factors. A section of society believes that the media glorifies the crime. Glamorizstion of crime and violence by the media suggests that criminals are worthy of attention and that crime matters. People such as James Wilson of Greenwood, South Carolina, take inspiration from former criminals and engage in similar violent acts. In 1988 James Wilson, inspired by Laurie Dann, went on a shooting spree in an elementary school. These shootings were said to be inspired by the copycat mass killings that happened in the early 1990s.

Forensic Psychology: A Complete Overview

Case studies

18-year-old Devin Moore

In 2003, Devin Moore, an 18-year-old boy, was convicted of auto theft. He had no prior criminal record and behaved cooperatively with the police when brought to the police station. Once inside the police station, he grabbed a gun from a police officer, shot the officer twice, and then shot and killed a second officer and an emergency dispatcher. All three victims were shot in the head and were killed immediately. After the shooting, Moore grabbed the keys of a police vehicle and walked out of the station. After his arrest shortly after, Moore told the police that he had been playing Grand Theft Auto for hours before the murders. Later, it was revealed that he was a compulsive, violent video game player and suffered from childhood abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His attorney argued that he should be granted bail based on the “GTA defense”, which means he was not guilty on the reason of insanity, lost touch with reality, and was acting out the violent video game in real life. The jury was dissatisfied with the defence, and he was convicted and sentenced to death.

Twinkle Dagre Murder Case

In the murder case of this 22-year-old Congress leader, Twinkle Dagre, the murderers took inspiration from a movie named ‘Drishyam’. The perpetrators were Jagdish Karotiya, a 65-year-old who was engaged in a relationship with the deceased and his son. Inspired by the movie, they left a trail of false evidence for the police. The perpetrators killed the woman and burnt her body. To mislead the police, they killed a dog and buried it nearby, where the woman was burnt. They threw her mobile near the house of her fiance to implicate him. They took inspiration from the movie and thought they had committed the perfect murder.

Media influences on criminal behaviour occur along a continuum. In some cases, individuals take inspiration from a movie or a book, and the crime in the film or the book makes its way into real life. In other cases, the media influences the method of the crime and the motivation, for example, copycat crimes, in which the criminals are psychologically immersed and act in a pop-cultural script. With the degree to which media and technology have brought changes culturally and socially, it will play an essential role in influencing criminal behavior, and modus operandi across all kinds of offenses.

“Technology changes everything, crime included”
Ronald V. Clarke (2004), ‘Technology, Criminology, and Crime Science’

References

Authored By

Prashansa Tripathi

Prashansa Tripathi is a Researcher and Forensic Psychologist with a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology and two years of experience. She is dedicated to making forensic psychology accessible to all and is particularly interested in deception and the neuropsychology of truth-telling. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, writing, and exploring nature.

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