Image control: how police affect the presentation of crime news

Citation

Chermak, S. (1995). Image control: How police affect the presentation of crime news. American Journal of Police, 14(2), 21-43.

This study uses direct observation of the news production process to catalog the ways in which police sources impact on crime‐news presentation. The authors find that the news media relies on willing participants--the police--to produce crime stories cost‐effectively and that police look to the media to reaffirm their status as law enforcers. They also find that police categorization of crime is self‐promoting and supportive of traditional responses.