QUESTION 1
Which individual(s) do you believe was “harmed” the most by how they were portrayed in the media between John and Patsy Ramsey and O.J. Simpson?
Why? Would the outcome of their cases/incidents have changed if they received the same kind of media attention as Colin Ferguson? How so? Would the
police investigation have changed with less media coverage?
QUESTION 2
Several of the incidents and cases we have reviewed show the tumultuous relationship between the police and the media. What are some factors that create
that kind of relationship? Why is it so important for these two entities to get along? Which entity “needs” the other more? Why? You may discuss any
incidents or cases found in the text or under “Course Materials.”
QUESTION 3
See Chapter 6. Lee and McGovern claim that Facebook and Crimestoppers are simply the new Neighborhood Watch: “traditional policing reframed…through
new technologies.” Do you agree with this assessment? What can social media enable the police to do which they can not by traditional means? See Chapter
8. For all their benign appearance, are sites like Facebook and Twitter simply the most instant and global means of surveillance on the planet? Are they just
the most effective way of keeping in touch, or do they legitimize people spying on each other and make the notion of privacy (and indeed friendship) a thing
of the past?
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