Argument: Does crime television affect crime?
Thesis: Crime television does affect crime, but it is beneficial to the public and is also entertaining.
Informs the Public
- Various news programs and channels such as: Local News, Dateline NBC, 60 Minutes, World News, 20/20, CNN, Nancey Grace etc. These news programs can chronicle various crimes because they are news programs they also include information that is beneficial to the public.
Entertainment
- Fictional crime television shows such as: Cold Case Files, CSI, CSI:Miami, CSI: New York, Law and Order, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Criminal Minds etc. These shows have some of the highest viewer ratings in television. If these ratings were viewed it would prove that fictional crime television is beneficial to the viewer.
Discourages Crime
- Real life crime television such as: The First 48, Cold Case Files, American Justice, America's Most Wanted, Dateline NBC, Unsolved Mysteries etc. use technology and forensics to solve crimes. The advances in forensics have made it very difficult for a criminal to committ a crime. These shows chronicles certain crimes and the capture of the criminals. Forensic evidence makes it difficult for any criminal to committ any crime successfully and not be apprehended. Real life crime television programs could discourage potential victims.
Makes the Public Aware
- Informative crime programs such as: Unsolved Mysteries and America's Most Wanted etc. can make the public aware of criminals. These shows inform the public about crimes and criminals. This can make the public aware of the methods criminals use and prevent potential victims.
5 comments:
You gave good reasons of why crime is beneficial to the public, and several examples. You just need to expand on your thoughts a lot because they are not very clear, but I know this is only a brief. One major thing you need to take into consideration is what age group crime tv is appropriate for. Also why is crime okay even if it is entertainment? You got a good start with good examples from tv, just expand a lot on your ideas.
Things I disagree with:
Entertainment. Can shows like this be purely entertainment? If these shows have such high rating there are more people who can be inspired or imitate the crimes shown.
Discourages crime. Use of technology and forensics in crime shows lead to higher expectations for scientific evidence in the actual courtroom.
Makes the public aware. If shows like this “can make the public aware of the methods criminals use” than more copycat crimes will be committed.
I think that you did a pretty good job of getting your point across to me. I think that you gave a lot of example of television shows that deal with each point that you had. The only problem that I had was that the explanation for each reason was a little fuzzy and could be made more clear. I had a hard time following some of your explanations.
You set up your argument well but you never gave any reasons to support the idea that crime television does affect actual crime. It looks like you're set up to prove that crime television is beneficial to the public.
this site talks a lot about the CSI effect. It also has something that might help you. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/journals/259/csi-effect.htm
Shows like the news help to tell people what is going on. But crime tv should be censored to degree. The question becomes where to draw the line. When is it entertainment and when is it informing. Also the fact that like the article shows like this make potential jurors expect too much new technology to solve a case. This instead of straight up facts and testimonies.
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