Questionnaire.

CRIME AND THE MEDIA


1 What is our fascination with crime being depicted within TV dramas?



2 What emotions are felt whilst watching a TV drama?



3 How are police shown within these dramas?



4 Are the criminals sentenced?



5 Are TV dramas and news programmes/newspapers similar?



6 How are criminals punished in reality?




7 How are the police in reality? - Give examples.




8 In general people move to places which have low crime rates, opposed to high. Therefore is crime drama escapism? - Explore this.




9 How do police treat criminals in reality and drama?




10 How do the criminals react to police 'interfering'?



11 Are the police typically 'good'?



12 Are victims helped? - Reality and Drama.



13 Is there a sense of community with police on patrol in dramas and in reality?


14 Does ITV drama 'The Bill' portray stories followed in the news?



15 Is anyone at risk in reality or dramas, or is it particular groups which are targeted?



16 What influences crime?



17 What social/economic factors have an effect on crime?





18 What are your own experiences with the police? Are they positive or negative?





19 Are the police good for society?




20 Can you think of any recent news events which have caused controversy over the policing in the UK?




21 Do you think the police are getting ‘bad press’ at the moment?




22. What comes into your mind when these words are referred to when regarding a TV drama? Take into consideration, personality, appearance etc.
Policemen

Policewomen

Criminals

Women

Old people

Teenagers

Minorities

Links to TV police dramas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartbeat_(TV_series)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cops_(TV_series)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_bill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Csi_miami
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_wire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_shield
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thin_Blue_Line_(TV_series)

------------------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_police_shows

News Stories

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4712061.stm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1180138/Did-pensioner-shot-dead-police-marksmen-commit-suicide-cop.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8000246.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5214644.stm

TV SHOWS

The Thin Blue Line
The Bill
Heartbeat
CSI: Miami
Taggart
The Cops
The Wire

COPS ON THE BOX.

http://www.copsonthebox.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=4%3Afictional-tv-shows&Itemid=5&layout=default&limitstart=40

Tv Listings.

My Question and Primary Research

I have decided on "How are the police portrayed in current crime fiction?". I want to do this because we as a culture are clearly fascinated with crime narratives, and therefore analysis of them must be able to tell us something about our attitudes to crime and to the law, and our anxieties about the sort of society we live in. I think looking at the different portrayals of police will help me get at these issues.

Primary research
1. Schedules/film listings - to what extent are police narratives consumed
2. Analysis of range of current reps - The Bill, Heartbeat, New Tricks etc.
3. Surveys and interviews about attitudes to the police.
4. Screenings and discussions about various reps on offer.

Links to websites I have used within my critical research.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52duugx7mn4&feature=channel
The Bill Classic Clip Ep No 558.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtfbbC1tH5Y&NR=1
The Bill: Promo of Gun Runner.

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/pdf/1133551.pdf
Survey of English Housing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1120016.stm
BBC report on high crime rates in the UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5006852.stm
BBC report on worst areas for crime rates in the UK.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_bill
Information on 'The Bill'. Cast, plot etc.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0708chap3.pdf
Violence and Crime statistics. Who is most likely to be attacked.

http://www.met.police.uk/
Police information.

ISBN 1-86168-278-6
Dealing With Crime, Volume 83, Series Editor; Craig Donnellan.

Questions to be answered

1 What is our fascination with crime being depicted within TV dramas?
2 What emotions are felt whilst watching a TV drama?
3 How are police shown within these dramas?
4 Are the criminals sentenced?
5 Are TV dramas and news programmes/newspapers similar?
6 How are criminals punished in reality?
7 How are the police depicted in reality? - Give examples.
8 In general people move to places which have low crime rates, opposed to high. Therefore is crime drama escapism? - Explore this.
9 How do police treat criminals in reality and drama?
10 How do the criminals react to police 'interfering'?
11 Are the police typically 'good'?
12 Are victims helped? - Reality and Drama.
13 Is there a sense of community with police on patrol in dramas and in reality.
14 Does ITV drama 'The Bill' portray stories followed in the news?
15 Is anyone at risk in reality or dramas, or is it particular groups which are targetted?
16 What influences crime?
17 What social/economic factors have an effect on crime?