Representation of Race and Gender in News-Gazette Crime Coverage (Initial Report - December 15, 2015)
Author(s)
Amburgey, Ethan
Berger, Ameilia
Bliler, Griffin
Gonzalez, Nadia
Miles, Peter
Reinsbach, Aaron
Schumock, Collin
Stankiewicz, Julie
Althaus, Scott
Contributor(s)
Britzman, Kylee
Issue Date
2015-12-14
Keyword(s)
Crime
Newspapers
Race
Gender
Media
Champaign County
Geographic Coverage
Champaign County, Illinois
Abstract
This study set out to analyze demographic characteristics of criminal suspects included in crime reporting published by the Champaign (Illinois) News-Gazette newspaper, and to compare the demographics of suspects in the news to the demographics of suspects arrested or jailed in Champaign County. To our knowledge, no such study has previously been performed for any news outlet in Champaign County. Examining newspaper coverage over a three-month period from June 1, 2015 to September 1, 2015, we found differences between the demographic characteristics of Champaign County crime suspects in the news and those of suspects in county arrest and jail booking records from the same time period. Black suspects were overrepresented in news coverage relative to arrest and jail booking records, while White suspects were underrepresented. Our analysis of suspect imagery in the news found that White suspects were underrepresented while Black suspects were overrepresented in news photographs of crime suspects, relative to their proportions in arrest and jail booking records. In addition, males were overrepresented as suspects in crime stories and females were underrepresented, relative to arrest and jail booking records.
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