Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Victim Worthiness: The Effect Of Media Coverage On The Portrayal Of Homicide Victims, Danielle Christenson

Undergraduate Review

In the last thirty years with the growth of 24-hour news channels, Internet only news sites and the decline of the newspaper, there have been tremendous changes in how the media covers crimes. Whether it is a catastrophic terrorist attack, school shooting or a low-profile homicide, violent crime is a staple of news coverage. The field of victimology has documented that the media does not portray all crime victims the same. The race and class of the victim as well as seemingly non-relevant factors such as their age, profession and the location of the crime as well as the demographics …