Television Consumption and Fear of Crime

• In Event: Poster Session I

Abstract

The research conducted looks at crime show consumption and an individual’s fear of crime. The study builds upon previous literature regarding television and fear with a main focus on crime shows. A crime show is defined as a television series, fiction or non-fiction, which focuses on the criminal justice system and solving crimes. Fear of crime is conceptualized as the emotion or worry people feel over the threat of victimization (Fisher, Sloan, & Cullen, 1995). Previous literature suggests that women are overall more fearful of victimization than men (Kohm, Waid-Lindberg, Weinrath, Shelley, & Dobbs, 2012). Television, in general, is such a significant part of people’s lives that the average American watches at least five hours of television a day (Hinckley, 2014). This study analyzes different crime related television shows to uncover what genre of crime show leads to the most fear of crime. The first hypothesis predicts that college students who watch more hours of non-fiction crime shows are more fearful of crime. The second one states that women are more fearful of crime compared to men. The study surveyed 154 students. Significance was found with females and an individual’s grades.

Author

• Morgan Comolli, Cabrini University