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Crime Statistics in the News

Journalism, Numbers and Social Deviation

Palgrave Macmillan

Authors:

  • Raises questions about the relationship between statistics and crime reporting
  • Argues for a better understanding of how crimes are depicted in the media
  • Uses quantitative data to analyse the use of numbers in crime stories in the press

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
  2. Introduction

    • Jairo Lugo-Ocando
    Pages 1-16
  3. Crime in the News

    • Jairo Lugo-Ocando
    Pages 17-47
  4. How Crime Statistics Became News

    • Jairo Lugo-Ocando
    Pages 49-64
  5. Media Representations of Crime Statistics

    • Jairo Lugo-Ocando
    Pages 65-78
  6. News, Public Policy and Crime Statistics

    • Jairo Lugo-Ocando
    Pages 103-118
  7. Spinning Crime Statistics

    • Jairo Lugo-Ocando
    Pages 119-134
  8. Visualising Crime Statistics

    • Jairo Lugo-Ocando
    Pages 135-149
  9. Crime Statistics and the Public

    • Jairo Lugo-Ocando
    Pages 151-166
  10. Conclusion

    • Jairo Lugo-Ocando
    Pages 167-180
  11. Back Matter

    Pages 181-213

About this book

This book offers a comparative exploration of how journalists across different newsrooms around the world access and interpret statistics when producing stories related to crime. Looking at the nature of news sources regularly used by journalists, Lugo-Ocando analyses how these numbers are used to report crime. 


As the author argues, far from being straightforward, the relationship between numbers and journalists in the context of crime reporting is complex, and at times, problematic. Because the reporting of crime statistics impacts upon policymaking, we need to better understand how these statistics are used and reported in order to improve the process of decision.


Finally, Lugo-Ocando maintains that the only way to create a fairer justice system and a better-informed general public is by improving the way crime is covered in the news. A compelling and informed text, this book will be of interest to scholars and students of criminology and journalism alike.






Authors and Affiliations

  • School of Media and Communications, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Jairo Lugo-Ocando

About the author

Jairo Lugo-Ocando is a former news editor, correspondent and journalist who has worked for news outlets in Latin America and the United States. He is currently an Associated Professor in the School of Media and Communication at the University of Leeds in the UK.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Crime Statistics in the News

  • Book Subtitle: Journalism, Numbers and Social Deviation

  • Authors: Jairo Lugo-Ocando

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-39841-3

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan London

  • eBook Packages: Law and Criminology, Law and Criminology (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-137-39840-6Published: 27 November 2017

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-137-39841-3Published: 06 October 2017

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XI, 213

  • Number of Illustrations: 2 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Criminal Justice, Juries and Criminal Trials, Human Rights and Crime , Journalism

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access