Interestingly, the death of Crews prompted discussions about introducing mandatory life penalties for those who kill police officers. Such a law reform proposal is interesting for several reasons. It suggests that there is something poignantly wrong about the killing of a police officer. While I in no way condone such offences, unlawfully killing is certainly an act that is morally wrong. However, a question that is prompted by all of this is; at what point do we value a police life over other lives?
Analysis of media articles surrounding such deaths sheds some light. Media articles about such officers killed in the line of duty hail them as a fallen hero, hardworking, and dedicated to law and order. Greer (2002) might suggest that this is a manifestation within the media of an 'ideal' victim and goes on to explain that this is perhaps why there is an over-representation of police victims within the media, as opposed to other victims of crime. It is at this point that the media appears to rationalise the notion that police are unsung heroes, whereby a death indicates a decline of society into disorder and chaos. Herein lies the newsworthiness of such deaths.Such a death is indicative of a schism within our society, and specifically a schism in our criminal justice system: 'reinforcing the perennially popular media themes of decline, disorder and lack of respect for authority' (Greer, 2002, p38).
A secondary issue surrounding media portrayal of police deaths in the line of fire, is that it seemingly defers the readers attention from underlying issues. Such as the nature of police raids and whether or not they should be reviewed. Other issues that might be heralded by such events is whether police should even have firearms at all (Sare, 1993)
In juxtaposition, is the underrepresentation of minority groups as victims or hero within the media. For example consider the seemingly absent media coverage about deaths that occur in police custody or at the hands of police themselves. Does this silence within the media constitute a consent to police violence against such groups?
Consider for example, the death of TJ Hickey which sparked what is now referred to as the Redfern riots.
Gargett suggests that the media creation of the policy as worthy victims in this instance strengthens the link between Aboriginality and crime. In this way Redfern riot was portrayed within the media as an act of criminality by Aboriginal people, rather than being viewed as a response to extreme injustice and poor policing in Redfern: "Indigeneity is demonised while the police are championed" (Gargett, 2005, p4). Such portrayals of the police as worthy victims seems to deny Aboriginal people the right to be portrayed as such and this is concerning.
Excellent blog, you really do a good job of critically analysing the work of Greer and others, and I like that you contrast the issue against notions of the worthy victim. Good work :)
ReplyDeleteAlyce
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ReplyDeleteInterestingly, since this blog was completed, it was found that Officer William Crews was in fact killed by friendly fire. Since this time, calls for mandatory sentencing of 'police killers' by politicians have been revoked and completely removed from all media coverage surrounding the event. This call for mandatory life sentencing in my opinion was completely irrational and used simply as a ploy for politicians to increase their popularity with the public. This draws attention to further examples in which politicians feel strongly in pursuing throughout the use of media when they are vying for public office, however, once this is over there is no longer any mention of the policies whatsoever; Tony Abbotts ‘Stop the Boats’ campaign was a prolific example. Was that not all just an attempt to gain some media attention and moral panic? I found it rather intriguing that you mention the police as being the deserving or ideal victim, and that therefore leads to the newsworthiness of such an event in the case of a death; this is a notion which I have never come to acknowledge until now.
ReplyDeleteI concur with Alyce on the quality of this post, as most of my opinions are comparable with yours.
Emma :)