ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the images of crime and race presented in one such program, "Cops". This show was chosen because it is one of the most popular of its genre according to Nielsen ratings, is frequently aired, and is one of the oldest and probably best known of the reality-based crime shows on television. The chapter scrutinizes the types and social dynamics of crimes portrayed. It analyses the world of crime found on "Cops" with that described in the Uniform Crime Reports for 1994. The chapter examines the types of crimes portrayed, the racial composition of the actors involved, and the outcomes (e.g., arrested or not arrested). It also analyses the dynamics of crime; that is, what relationships are shown between victims and offenders, and what types of crimes are associated with which types of offenders. The chapter also examined whether there were differences in the types of crimes committed on "Cops" by differing race.