The criminal justice system portrayed in the news is what the American people are most exposed to. Although it may not be very reliable it has become a part of American life and most Americans have become accustomed to getting news from these media. The CJS as portrayed in the media may not be representative of the facts and maybe doctored news, but this is what the American people are happy about, given that It has widespread effects in that its impact impinges upon the manner in which the American people cast their votes, exercise discretionary powers as law-abiding citizens and also affects the conduct of their day to day affairs. It is seen that the news that is being portrayed may be either underrepresented or overrepresented. In the case it is underrepresented, it means that the news has not been depicted in full and in a truthful manner and in accordance with the wishes of the American people. Seen in terms “as a cultural product, television programs and images are conceived as reflections of society.” (McNeely, 1995, p.1-20).
These media projections of crime in radio and television and other mass media are seen as reflections of society itself, in the public eye.
In other words, a large part of the work has been expunged, which shows the news is not justified, fair, and accurate in its portrayal. Again, it is quite possible that the news may be overrepresented, in which case, there has been fabrication and slight exaggeration of the news in order to attract and retain readerships. Both under-representation and overrepresentation are against public policies and deserve to be rectified. However, it is also seen that the aspect of under or over-representation needs to be confirmed by an independent body and not by the newspaper itself. Therefore, it could be seen that it is necessary that news need to be distilled for exaggerations, sensationalism, and deviations from the truth before being presented to the readers. It could also be seen in terms of the fact that newspapers should always present the truth as it is, and not the way politicians, lawmakers, or other vested interests would like it to be. It could also be in terms of the fact that the truth cannot be kept away from the people for all, as was seen in the major scams and scandals like the Watergate scandal, Enron, Arthur Anderson, and others.
Coming to the second part of the question, it could be said that some news may be far from being justified, fair, and accurate for printing. It is common knowledge that an alleged defendant is innocent until he is proved guilty in a competent court of justice. In the Court, he is given ample opportunities to testify and prove his innocence, or otherwise. However, in most cases, it is seen that the defendant is proved guilty by the media and press even before proceedings have begun. Public opinion is a major determinant of political will cover America’s chequered history, and the American criminal justice system is no exception. Thus, over the years, the jurors have been cautious in allowing media portray to transgress their closely guarded officialdom, lest public opinion or political influences, or a combination of both contaminate the future course of dispensing justice with equanimity and righteousness. In the deliverance of criminal justice it is necessary “to allow the players and pictures to speak for themselves — provides a rare, valuable, and unvarnished view of a system that struggles under its own weight every day.” (Ronald S. Sullivan Jr, Jeffrey Berman: “Emergency from Triage- A reviewed “real justice’.” (Sullivan & Berman, 2008).
It is believed that extraneous factors, facilitated by television, could mount pressures on the judiciary system and vitiate the course of justice and fair play.
The public needs to know about criminal justice actions and the correct media portrayal of actions that are accurate, fair, and justified. Therefore, it is very imperative that the media tones down its sensationalism attitude and gets down to the core of facts and deliberations in the carriage of criminal justice.
References
McNeely, Connie. L. (1995). Perceptions of the criminal justice system. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, 3 (1), 1-20. Web.
Sullivan, Ronald. S., & Berman, Jeffrey. (2008). Emergency room triage: A review of real justice. Frontline. Web.