Crime News: A Police Press Office — Police Perceptions
| Published date | 01 July 1993 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X9306600303 |
| Date | 01 July 1993 |
| Author | Garth Lewis Crandon |
| Subject Matter | Article |
GARTH
LEWIS
CRANDON
B.A., M.Sc. (Econ.), Dip.Ed.
SeniorLecturer,
School
of
Business,
University
of
Glamorgan
CRIME NEWS: A POLICE PRESS
OFFICE -POLICE PERCEPTIONS
Theauthor
wishes
tothankSouth
Wales
Constabulary,
andInspector Paul
Milton
in particular, for their co-operation in the preparation
of
the
article.
While press/public-relationsofficersof police authorities
(p.RO.s)
are in
apotentially powerful position to influence the structure
of
crime news,
their function within police authorities may be controversial. With this in
mind this paper examines first crime news, its conceptual underpinnings
and relevance to police press offices. Secondly, it offers a very brief
account of the birth and development
of
the
PRO.
in the South Wales
Constabulary. Thirdly, using the Annual GeneralReports
(A.G.R)
ofthe
South Wales Constabulary (S.W.C.) an attempt is made to measure
attitudes of ChiefConstables to the
PRO.
Finally, perceptions
of
police
attitudes to the P.R.O. are measured on the basis of a questionnaire to
police officers across ranks from constable to superintendent.
Figure 1
Total references to
P.RO.
in paragraphs and words expressed in
Annual General Reports since 1978
Year Paragraphs Words
1979 1 156
1980 1 82
1981 2 154
1982 1 117
1983 2 121
1984 14 504
1985 7 420
1986 12 1698
1987 9392
1988 6294
1989 5480
1990 5320
1991 4 227
Crime
and
the Media
Asindividualswe have become increasinglydependent on the mass media
for information on the world about us and the importance
of
the media in
our understanding
of
the world is reflected by the ways in which a large
242 The Police Journal July 1993
To continue reading
Request your trial