Newsmaking criminology in Australia and New Zealand: Results from a mixed methods study of criminologists’ media engagement

Abstract

‘Newsmaking criminology’, as described by Barak, is the process by which criminologists contribute to the generation of ‘newsworthy’ media content about crime and justice, often through their engagement with broadcast and other news media. While newsmaking criminological practices have been the subject of detailed practitioner testimonials and theoretical treatise, there has been scarce empirical research on newsmaking criminology, particularly in relation to countries outside of the United States and United Kingdom. To illuminate the state of play of newsmaking criminology in Australia and New Zealand, in this paper we analyse findings from 116 survey responses and nine interviews with criminologists working in universities in these two countries, which provide insight into the extent and nature of their news media engagement, and their related perceptions. Our findings indicate that most criminologists working in Australia or New Zealand have made at least one news media appearance in the past two years, and the majority of respondents view news media engagement as a professional ‘duty’. Participants also identified key political, ethical, and logistical issues relevant to their news media engagement, with several expressing a view that radio and television interviewers can influence criminologists to say things that they deem ‘newsworthy’.

Social Impact of Financial Technology and Islamic Economics Education

“…This study uses a mixed methodology which was carried out in two stages, namely a survey using closed questioners and structured interviews (Iliadis et al 2019). The first phase is a survey using a closed questioner.…”

Digital Public Criminology in Australia and New Zealand: Results from a Mixed Methods Study of Criminologists’ Use of Social Media

“…Our study employed a two-phase mixed methodology comprised of a survey and semi-structured interviews (Iliadis et al 2019). The first phase was a survey featuring a combination of quantitative and qualitative questions, while the second phase consisted of follow-up semistructured interviews with survey participants to elaborate on their survey responses.…”

Crowdsourcing Criminology: Social Media and Citizen Policing in Missing Person Cases

“…While debates continue in academia on both the benefits and limitations of newsmaking criminology (cf. Iliadis et al, 2019;Murray, 2017;Reinsmith-Jones et al, 2015;Turner, 2013), we suggest that there is value in examining the process of crowdsourcing in criminology and its relationship to both infotainment and newsmaking criminology. Indeed, "networked technologies have enhanced opportunities not only for people to consume cases but to participate in collective investigations and create their own representations" (Yardley et al, 2018, p. 5).…”