Depictions Of Youth On Youth Homicide In Rural Settings

• In Event: Media and Public Perceptions of School Shootings and Violent Juvenile Offenders

Abstract

Many of the films that depict youth on youth homicide take place in urban settings. However, rural youth on youth homicides are rarely portrayed. Film depictions of youth on youth homicide may contribute to the development of existing stereotypes. As in fictional films, urban youth crime has become the standard and central focus of prevention initiatives amongst law enforcement, often ignoring the unique problems associated with rural youth on youth homicide. This paper analyzes film depictions of rural youth on youth homicide in order to establish the stereotypes these films may convey. Additionally, this paper examines how depictions in these films coincide with the realities of rural violence. Findings suggest that films that depict youth on youth homicide in rural settings appear to more closely align with the realities of rural homicide than those which are often portrayed in urban settings.

Author

• Samantha Reid, University of Ontario Institute of Technology