MAKING CRIME NEWS MORE RESPONSIBLE
Tips for Editors from Criminal Justice Journalists
November 12, 1998
By Hoag Levins
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Photo: Hoag Levins
CJJ president Ted Gest criticizes media.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (APBnews.com) -- Since their group's inception a year ago, the two founders of the Criminal Justice Journalists (CJJ) organization have leveled some blistering criticism at the mainstream media for their generally poor crime coverage.
In fact, much of CJJ's current philosophy appears to resonate on the same frequency as vice president David Krajicek's book, SCOOPED! Mass Media Miss Real Story on Crime While Chasing Sex, Sleaze and Celebrities, published earlier this year by Columbia University Press.
Although Krajicek acknowledged that there is a good deal of "superior" crime-related reporting being done across the country, he said the majority of crime news is "unsophisticated and lacking in context." He suggests that newsrooms should be covering crime as a broad, complex social issue rather than an endless conveyor belt of unconnected, tawdry anecdotes.
'Crime of the moment'
He says one of the worst aspects of today's crime news is "the obsession with the crime of the moment" and points to the O.J. Simpson case as "the ultimate destination on that newsroom trip."
He also feels editors tend to make trends where trends don't exist. "'Road Rage' is an example of that," he said. "Some believe that 'Road Rage' is not a new trend at all but just some editor's clever new name for reckless driving."
Is CJJ misunderstood by some?
But CJJ president Ted Gest noted, "We're not saying that news organizations should not report crime." He suggests that some journalists may misunderstand CJJ's press criticisms.
In fact, as their second national conference was set to open at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel here in Washington, both Krajicek and Gest emphasized that their approach is not entirely negative. Part of CJJ's plan is to offer practical advice about how editors and reporters can make their crime coverage better.
Some of their tips include:
Don't limit reporting to reactive stories, simply waiting until the next big crime occurs and then covering it intensely. Instead, do proactive stories. Try to study the community and understand where and why new crimes are likely to happen.
Provide context with crime stories. Learn to use statistics and other information to paint accurate pictures of crime patterns. If one "road rage" incident occurs, don't make it seem that "road rage" is occurring everywhere. Document for readers where it actually is occurring and at what rates. Offer information that puts an event in reasonable perspective.
Offer factual, well-balanced news with information your readers or viewers can use. If you're doing a high-profile story about rape, also offer practical information about how people can protect themselves from rapists.
Don't take whatever the police department or FBI says at face value. Learn how to find other sources that can bring more depth to crime statistics issued by law enforcement agencies. Learn how to determine and explain what crime statistics really mean.
Avoid employing your national news briefs columns as catchalls for isolated crime stories that, aside from their sensational details, have no context or real meaning for your readers or viewers.
Remember above all else that journalism is about telling great stories. People love to read crime stories. The best morality fables that exist are crime stories. Learn how to pick the truly great stories that say something meaningful about crime, our times and the human condition. Then do what it takes to research and tell those stories well.
Hoag Levins is the managing editor of APBnews.com.
© 1998 APBnews.com
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