JUS315MalfitanoT_Justice Essay
Introduction
The media plays an important role in shaping public perceptions of the criminal justice
system. However, news coverage can sometimes reflect and even exacerbate biases, rather than
providing a balanced view of complex issues. This paper will analyze how the media story
shown this week could be interpreted from different perspectives, and discuss ways media
coverage can both implicate and exonerate actors within the justice system. Finding an objective
approach is challenging but critical for informing the public and promoting accountability and
reform when needed.
Different Views of the Scene
The body camera footage provides glimpses into how the traffic stop scene could be
viewed and interpreted from different perspectives. From the officer perspective, one could argue
they were simply responding to what appeared a threatening situation requiring forceful action to
subdue a non-compliant suspect and ensure safety during a volatile arrest. Initially pulling the
vehicle over due to an observed traffic violation, the limited camera angles may not have
captured all details. However, looking through the eyes of the civilian, aspects of the situation
like the frequency and particularly sensitive nature of some force used once restrained could
understandably seem excessive and unjustified, with no clear signs of aggressive resistance
warranting such measures. The videos leave uncertainty around full justification for the level of
force depicted.
A more neutral third-party viewpoint would acknowledge footage alone does not provide
necessary context like the severity of any initial traffic violation or specific threats encountered
prior to recording. Important missing pieces like independent witness accounts and expert review
of proper protocol application could aid fair analysis. Without a more complete picture, no
definitive conclusions about proper procedures followed may reasonably be drawn.
There are also perspectives more skeptical of the official police narrative, calling into
question the stated reason for the stop in light of contradictory surveillance evidence and
inability to see the purported violation. Lack of action regarding acknowledged untruthfulness
undermines credibility and trust in the authenticity of the "official" story told.
The Role of The Media
The media plays a powerful role in shaping public perceptions of the criminal justice
system. Through their coverage of high-profile cases, the media can either exonerate or convict
individuals accused of crimes, even before the legal process has run its course (Fadhilah, 2024).
This influence can have significant implications for the fairness and impartiality of the justice
system.
On one hand, the media can be used to expose abuses and wrongdoings within the
criminal justice system. Investigative journalism has uncovered numerous instances of racial
bias, police misconduct, prosecutorial overreach, and other systemic problems. Documentaries
like "13th" have shed light on the disproportionate incarceration of minorities and the legacy of
slavery embedded in the justice system. By bringing these issues to public attention, the media
can galvanize social movements and pressure lawmakers to enact reforms.
But the media can also be used to sentence people in the court of public opinion, even if
the formal proof isn't clear or is contradictory (Brown, 2021). In particular, social media has
turned into a "new court of justice" where people quickly come together to either blame or clear
suspects based on scant evidence. It can be very hard on judges and juries, and they may feel like
they have to make decisions based on how people feel instead of following the law exactly.
The media’s coverage of criminal cases could also influence the public’s perception of
the justice system since viewers tend to be told and sold something by sensational and
exaggerated drama presentations rather than the truth. The media intensifies the belief of social
injustice within the criminal justice system since the media focuses more on violent crimes,
especially those that are sensational even though overall crime rates have been declining over the
years (Kania, 2020).This can lead to the perpetuation of myths and misconceptions, such as the
belief that the justice system is more racially biased or ineffective than it actually is.
Furthermore, the media's dependence on ratings and advertising revenue may encourage
selective reporting of material that elicits the most public attention and indignation, rather than a
fair and nuanced depiction of the facts (Kania, 2020). This may lead to the presumption of guilt
being applied to persons before they have had their day in court, undermining the basic premise
of innocence.
At the same time, the media may play an important role in exonerating those who have
been falsely charged or condemned. High-profile cases, such as the Central Park jogger case,
have shown how media coverage may influence public opinion and even result in convictions
being reversed (Larkin, 2022). The media may shed light on miscarriages of justice and urge case
re-examination by scrutinizing anomalies in evidence, identifying procedural errors, and
providing voice to the accused.
Finally, the link between the media and the criminal justice system is complicated and
sometimes controversial. While the media may be an effective instrument for exposing abuses
and keeping the system responsible, it can also be a double-edged sword, undermining the justice
and impartiality of the judicial system.
To achieve a better balance, numerous measures have been suggested. Some experts
believe that the media should be subject to tougher rules and ethical norms while reporting on
current criminal proceedings in order to avoid the distribution of prejudiced material and the
premature attribution of guilt (Warden, 2013). Others suggest that the judicial system should
communicate with the media in a more open and proactive manner to guarantee that the public
has access to accurate and impartial information.
There have also been requests for the media to be more nuanced and contextual in its
depiction of crime and the criminal justice system. This might include doing a more in-depth
examination of the underlying social, economic, and political causes that lead to criminal
behavior, rather than merely sensationalizing the most spectacular and violent occurrences. The
media might help to promote significant changes and rebuild public faith in the judicial system
by encouraging more informed and deliberate public discussions.
In conclusion: the media is a double-edged sword as it may help improve the Criminal
Justice System while at the same time acting as a hindrance to its operations. To a certain extent,
the media can be useful to reveal abuses and make the system responsible, but it also distorts
justice’s fairness and impartiality through violent coverage and conditional sentencing. For a
balance to be struck and the problem to be solved, there has to be reform of the rule with regard
to the rights of the media to report on criminal cases as well as the manner in which crime and
justice are reported. In this way, the media can be quite beneficial in explaining the innocence of
the wrongfully accused, the guilt of the offenders, and in strengthening the Criminal Justice
System.
References
Brown, Z. (2021, February 12). “13th” Film and Discussion - Zoey Brown - Studies of Black
History at the University of San Diego. Studies of Black History at the University of San
Diego. https://sites.sandiego.edu/blackhistoryatusd/2021/02/12/13th-film-and-discussion-
zoey-brown/
Criminal Justice and Media. (n.d.). Www.southuniversity.edu.
https://www.southuniversity.edu/news-and-blogs/2024/05/criminal-justice-and-media
Fadhilah, N. (2024). The Influence of Mass Media on Public Perception of Criminal Cases: A
Qualitative Approach. Journal of Strafvordering Indonesian, 1(2), 1–5.
https://doi.org/10.62872/5scm0g45
Kania, R. (2020). Media’s Influence on the Perception of Criminal Justice. Crime & Justice
Research Alliance. https://crimeandjusticeresearchalliance.org/rsrch/medias-influence-on-
the-perception-of-criminal-justice/
Larkin, A. (2022). Media Coverage of the 1989 Central Park Jogger Case. CUJ, 1(1).
https://cujournal.ie/article/id/10/
Warden, R. (2013). The role of the media and public opinion on innocence reform: Past and
future. In Wrongful Conviction and Criminal Justice Reform (pp. 39-55). Routledge.
