Crime and the Media 1
             The relationship between the criminal justice system and the media, either print or television/radio has, and will be a topic of debate until the end of time. There are about as many opinions about this relationship as the number of individuals that may be affected by the relationship.
             This author will examine the common misperceptions about crime caused by an influence of news media. This author will also discuss implications that violence in the media causes violence among society. This author will also take a position on this particular dilemma.
             Almost everyone in the civilized world has been touched by crime in one way or another. In America alone, there are daily reports of murder, arson, and robbery for every day of news coverage. But, the viewer is constantly bombarded with reports that there is a crime wave or, conversely, that criminal activity is decreasing. This can be confusing to the average viewer.
             The news media's coverage of crime and victimization provides a necessary and invaluable public service. This author is an avid supporter of responsible journalism, as it has assisted with the resolution of many crimes and the apprehension of many offenders, thus relieving the stress of many victims. However, the news media tend to cover crime and victimization in an untimely and insensitive manner. This author believes some these examples include the 1994 O.J. Simpson murder case, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, and the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. This author followed these stories rather closely and felt that re-victimization occurred at the time of the incident, and still occurs in all of these events because of inaccuracies with media coverage.
             Focusing on the apprehension of the offender is
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