Crime Media

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Crime has been a feature of the news media since the first printing press was launched. Now, the proliferation of outlets for crime coverage – podcasts, blogs, social media, true crime TV – has expanded the realm of crime news in important ways, beyond just who-shot-whom. Taught by Tom Jackman, a veteran crime reporter for The Washington Post, this class will hear from not only top national journalists from NBC, The Post and the Daily Beast, but also a police chief, a prosecutor, a judge, the parents of a murder victim and more, analyzing not only how the media do their job, but the impact they have on the system and the public. Crime and the maintenance of public order are one of the rough measures many citizens use to decide whether their government is working properly or not. Students will make their own decisions through two quizzes, a midterm paper and a final exam.