MEDIA'S PORTRAYAL OF CRIME AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION TOWARD THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Abstract

Media attention and public sentiment on crime and the criminal justice system, both have been widely researched in the academic community. Because representations in the media of court systems have the power to change public perceptions of institutions, that have substantial relevance in terms of the practices used in crime control model. It has been shown in the majority of this study, which has used quantitative approaches, that attitudes and streaming media are correlated. Even if there has been a highly significant relationship, it has not been shown that it is the causation of any damage. The challenges in establishing a causal relationship between media coverage of crime and public perceptions of the criminal justice system really shouldn't, dissuade us from pursuing our investigations. It is preferable to look for more comprehensive explanations for the formation of public opinion and the media's participation in it, rather than depending just on statistical data to guide our reasoning. Focus groups were employed in this study to learn how and how much individuals depend on the media when it comes to understanding crime and judging judicial systems. The purpose of this research was to explore the impact of the media on public perceptions regarding the criminal justice system. Students from University of Sargodha were asked to participate in a focus group.