... over our perceptions of crime. I will summarise the findings of various content reports involving news and fictional reporting of crime and then attempt to find whether the unrepresentative nature of these media actually has an effect on the individual's perception of crime. The assertion that the media has some influence on our perceptions of the world is supported by the increased attention paid to it by interested bodies. It is not only the Home Office and the Police that court the media, but other groups such as professional associations and trade unions (Williams 2002). These groups have all noted the power of the media in changing people's perception of them, and have worked hard to influence coverage. This assumption is an important starting point, the fact that these groups invest large amounts of resources in the media suggest that what we see on the television or read in the newspaper ...

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