Sex Crime and the Media: Sex Offending and the Press in a Divided Society
By Chris Greer
Sex crime has become a central issue in public life, and an area of intense public and political concern. Sex offenders have become society's most reviled deviants, a process in which the media have played a key role. Understanding press representation of sex crime, and how and why these are produced, is central to the way sex crime has been perceived, yet little detailed research or investigation has been carried out into how this has happened. Drawing upon the views of both journalists and practitioners, the book also formulates clear recommendations for positive and realistic change, both in the way the press report sex crime and in the way that relevant agencies act as sources in the news production process. It will help promote much needed change within the media and relevant statutory and voluntary organizations.