NCJ Number
194888
Journal
International Journal of Police Science and Management Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2002 Pages: 28-38
Date Published
2002
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article investigates the effects the media may have regarding criminal profiling in professional criminal investigations in Japan.
Abstract
In 1997, the Kobe serial murder case in Japan dominated headlines. The most worrying aspect of the media response was the way it created a picture of the offender and the crime. When a crime such as that in Kobe occurs, it causes a great deal of fear and unrest, not only locally but also nationally. Police that don't have much previous experience are likely to suffer from information overload. Criminal profiling requires some kind of artistic mastery. The general public and the media seem to find entertainment in guessing the answers to the question posed. The media seem to have no systematic procedure for checking and assessing whether news items are reliable. The reporters, in fierce competition for the story, rush to be the first to report exclusive information making the accuracy of news items of secondary importance. A free media can play an important role in highlighting outcomes of police investigations. It can also play a negative role if it sensationalizes facts and gives a false picture of the scale and nature of a crime. Incorporating witnesses' and relatives' recollections in stories also introduces incorrect information. It is important to realize that the media are not competent to search for an offender and that the background of the serious offense must be borne in mind to maintain an objective journalistic view. If the media play a primary role in satisfying public interest and the investigations authorities finish their mission to search for the facts in a scientific manner, harmony between the media and the investigation authorities might result in revelation of the truth. 8 references