Crime is one of the most pressing problems facing our country today. Being among one of the top concerns makes it such a relevant topic for us all. Our concern for crime is influenced by many public sources. Since most of us have no direct contact with any serious crime, our only exposure comes from various sources of information such as television, newspapers, and the Internet. These are just some of the ways the American public forms their opinion on crime and the criminal justice system.
In this age of increasing access to instantaneous information and the need to create entertainment within the news, it is important to try to uncover the facts. For example, the OJ Simpson trial first caught our attention with the chase of his Ford Bronco. People tuned in to watch the entertainment portion before remembering that two people were dead. The fact that a well-known athlete was making such a spectacle of himself proved much more eventful and boosted some ratings rather quickly. Technology provides the public with access to events that could not become public in any other way. Television, proving to be one of the most popular sources, is a visual medium that pulls the viewer in as if they were a participant. Could there be any better form of entertainment then a real life "who done it" such as the Laci Peterson trial? Constant exposure to someone who is portrayed as a beautiful pregnant woman eventually leads one to believe that she always had that perfect smile on her face. Scott Peterson's portrayal of an unemotional adulterer automatically convicts him in the public's eye. These portrayals are a perfect example of how the media has swayed America. Though facts have been misprinted and there is no concrete evidence that would convict Scott Peterson, he is seen as guilty but the media are never held accountable for what they reported incorrectly. The media reports what will draw attention.