Criminology · Year 12 · Changing Awareness of Crime · 1.º Período

Media and Moral Panics

Analysing how various forms of media construct representations of crime and criminals. Students will explore the concept of moral panics and their influence on public attitudes.

TL;DR:Media and Moral Panics examines the powerful role of the press, social media, and television in shaping public perceptions of crime. Students explore how the media 'constructs' crime stories, often focusing on sensationalism and stereotypes rather than statistical reality. A central concept is the 'moral panic,' where the media identifies a group as a 'folk devil,' leading to public anxiety and often disproportionate legal responses. This topic directly addresses WJEC AC1.4 and AC1.5, requiring students to evaluate the impact of media on public fear and policy.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• WJEC AC1.4: Describe media representation of crime
• WJEC AC1.5: Explain the impact of media representations on the public perception of crime

About This Topic

Media and Moral Panics examines the powerful role of the press, social media, and television in shaping public perceptions of crime. Students explore how the media 'constructs' crime stories, often focusing on sensationalism and stereotypes rather than statistical reality. A central concept is the 'moral panic,' where the media identifies a group as a 'folk devil,' leading to public anxiety and often disproportionate legal responses. This topic directly addresses WJEC AC1.4 and AC1.5, requiring students to evaluate the impact of media on public fear and policy.

This is a highly relevant topic for Year 12 students who are constant consumers of digital media. It teaches them to be critical of the information they receive and to understand the commercial and political motives behind crime reporting. By deconstructing news clips and social media trends, students learn to identify bias and exaggeration. This topic comes alive when students can physically deconstruct media texts and simulate the creation of a moral panic through collaborative role play.

Key Questions

1. How does the media construct representations of violent crime?
2. What is a moral panic and how is it triggered?
3. How do media portrayals influence public perception of criminality?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The media just reports the news as it happens.

What to Teach Instead

Media outlets choose what to report based on 'news values' like drama or celebrity. They construct a version of reality rather than reflecting it perfectly. Deconstructing headlines in a group setting helps students see these editorial choices in action.

Common Misconception

Moral panics are a thing of the past (like the Mods and Rockers).

What to Teach Instead

Moral panics are constant and evolve with technology, such as recent panics over drill music or social media 'challenges.' Using contemporary examples in a simulation helps students see the ongoing relevance of Cohen's theory.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game

Creating a Moral Panic

In small groups, students act as a news editorial team. They are given a minor incident (e.g., teenagers wearing hoodies in a park) and must create a sensationalist headline, a 'folk devil' profile, and a call for new laws to show how panics are built.

50 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk

Media Representations

Display various crime-related media: tabloid covers, true crime podcast ads, and social media posts. Students use sticky notes to identify 'news values' like sensationalism, proximity, or simplification present in each piece.

30 min·Whole Class

Think-Pair-Share

The Fear of Crime Gap

Students compare a graph of actual violent crime rates with a graph of public fear of crime. In pairs, they discuss how specific media portrayals (like 'over-reporting' of rare crimes) contribute to this gap before sharing with the class.

20 min·Pairs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 'folk devil' in criminology?

A folk devil is a person or group defined by the media as a threat to societal values and interests. They are often stereotyped and blamed for social problems. Identifying modern folk devils helps students understand how the media can marginalise certain communities and influence public opinion.

How do 'news values' influence crime reporting?

News values are the criteria journalists use to decide if a story is newsworthy. For crime, these often include 'sensationalism' (is it shocking?), 'personalisation' (can we focus on a specific victim?), and 'violence.' This leads to an over-representation of rare, violent crimes and an under-representation of common, non-violent ones.

What is the 'deviancy amplification spiral'?

This is a process where the media's reporting of a crime actually leads to more of that crime. By highlighting the behaviour and creating a moral panic, the media can make the deviance seem more attractive to some or lead to a heavy-handed police crackdown that provokes further conflict.

How can active learning help students understand media and moral panics?

Active learning, such as the 'Creating a Moral Panic' simulation, allows students to step into the shoes of media producers. By actively constructing a sensationalist narrative, they see firsthand how easy it is to manipulate public perception. This 'learning by doing' makes the theoretical steps of a moral panic much clearer and more memorable than simply reading about them in a textbook.