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There are a lot of terrible things happening in the world right now. But one silver lining of the pandemic is that crime appears to be decreasing in those areas where people have been told to stay at home.
Unfortunately, this good news doesn't appear to be getting much attention
Unfortunately, this good news doesn't appear to be getting much attention
To be sure, some media outlets are reporting on the decrease in crime.
Here's reporting by The Hill:
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/491055-crime-rates-drop-across-the-nation-amid-coronavirus
And here's reporting by @MarshallProj https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/03/27/as-coronavirus-surges-crime-declines-in-some-cities
Here's reporting by The Hill:
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/491055-crime-rates-drop-across-the-nation-amid-coronavirus
And here's reporting by @MarshallProj https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/03/27/as-coronavirus-surges-crime-declines-in-some-cities
But those outlets seem to be the exception, rather than the rule.
Most outlets either aren't reporting the crime decrease, or they are only reporting on those few crimes that are (or could) increase under current conditions.
Most outlets either aren't reporting the crime decrease, or they are only reporting on those few crimes that are (or could) increase under current conditions.
CNN provides a stark example.
I can't comment on their overall on air coverage (I don't keep the news on very much right now because I'm worried it'll freak out my young kids).
But their online content is skewed in a way that creates the impression that crime is a big concern
I can't comment on their overall on air coverage (I don't keep the news on very much right now because I'm worried it'll freak out my young kids).
But their online content is skewed in a way that creates the impression that crime is a big concern
Here's a CNN story from today in which they talk about people stockpiling their illegal drugs: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/05/uk/illegal-drug-shortage-coronavirus-gbr-intl/index.html
Here is a story from yesterday in which they talk about the increase in domestic violence: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/04/us/domestic-violence-coronavirus-calls-cases-increase-invs/index.html
Here is a story from Friday in which they talk about how the pandemic is making things easier for organized crime in Asia: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/01/opinions/coronavirus-law-enforcement-asia-intl-hnk/index.html
Also from Friday, a story about how hackers are trying to capitalize on the pandemic: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/03/politics/cyber-criminals-pandemic/index.html
Another story from late March about how stay at home orders put domestic violence victims at risk: https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/27/health/domestic-violence-coronavirus-wellness-trnd/index.html
You can scroll through CNN's Crime & Justic stories here: https://www.cnn.com/specials/us/crime-and-justice
And while you'll see that they have been covering the virus outbreak in prisons, they haven't been reporting on the decrease in crime.
I hope that this is something that @brianstelter looks at.
And while you'll see that they have been covering the virus outbreak in prisons, they haven't been reporting on the decrease in crime.
I hope that this is something that @brianstelter looks at.
It is important that the news media not focus only on those crimes that might get worse during this pandemic. That sort of media coverage leads to an uninformed public and to very punitive criminal justice policies. https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/faculty_scholarship/1617/
And it isn't as though the media can't cover increases and decreases in crime with additional context. Here is @USATODAY with good, nuanced coverage of crime in the age of coronavirus. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2020/04/04/coronavirus-crime-rates-drop-and-domestic-violence-spikes/2939120001/
