Kids, crime, and local television news

The vast majority of crime reporting occurs on local television news and in newspapers. Although crimes are extraordinary events, they assume an ordinariness that only daily reporting can give them. The obvious question is what does the news tell us about crime. This article compares the coverage of adult crime and the coverage of what the author has termed "KidsCrime," defined as a story, in which a juvenile was either the suspect or the victim (or both). What is the nature of that coverage? How consistent is it with official statistics? Are there diffrences between adult crime and KidsCrime coverage regarding offenses, victimization, production techniques, and other attributes? This examination of the crime coverage revealed (a) significant differences between KidsCrime and adult crime coverage, (b) a portrait of crime that was consistent and inconsistent with official statistics, and (c) a presentation approach that discouraged critical viewing.