ABSTRACT
Criminality has always been of interest to the mass media. The media, in turn, are the primary source of information on criminality (70 per cent of the population get their information from television, 15 per cent from the press and over 7 per cent from the radio) (Błachut et al. 1999, p. 420) and the justice system in Poland (Daniel 2005, p. 95). The mass media is only too willing to report on criminality. This is mostly because it is a topic that appeals to people. Criminality is exciting and often sensational, and bringing it up is an easy way to grab the attention of viewers, readers or listeners. Researchers claim that people react favourably to news about prohibited acts, as it allows them to reinforce the positive view they have of themselves by holding themselves up against someone who has violated the principles of social coexistence. The media also try to make news about crime easily digestible, e.g. through simplification and by not including deeper analyses of the causes of deviant behaviour. Moreover, all sorts of political aims can be achieved with this (see Klaus et al. 2006).
