Watch a crime-related, fictional television show episode, such as one from Criminal Minds, Law & Order, NCIS, Chicago P.D., Blue Bloods, S.W.A.T., etc.
Research your local police, courts, and corrections agencies’ employee demographics, as well as your local arrest demographics. You may find helpful data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
Write a minimum 700-word paper in which you:
Identify the diversity among the characters portrayed in the show. Include suspects, victims, and criminal justice professionals in the police, courts, or corrections.
Describe any stereotypical attributes assigned to any characters.
Compare the demographics portrayed in the show to your local police, courts, and corrections agencies’ employee demographics, as well as your local arrest demographics. Are the demographics in the show similar to your local community? How or how not?
Describe challenges in locating accurate crime and victimization data nationally and locally, and how that might affect the accuracy of people’s perceptions of crime.
Explain how media portrayals can influence people’s perceptions of crime. Consider portrayals and perceptions of those who offend; those who are victimized; and those who investigate, prosecute, sentence, and oversee those serving a sentence.
Cite at least 2 sources to support your paper.
Format your paper according to APA guidelines.