| YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME
Both primary and secondary sources of information are used for reporting. The primary information is usually from going to the scene of a crime or incident, conducting interviews with eyewitnesses and other sources, or going to court. Secondary information is mainly from security force releases and statements. Media houses in Barbados, Grenada and St. Vincent have difficulty getting reliable and timely information from security forces. As such, there is little reference to crime statistics and stories have to use generalizations such as “increase”, “decrease”, “more” or “less”. Are statistical representations accurate and contextualized? Most of the reports focus on isolated incidents and as such the use of statistics is limited. Most comments about the broader stories of crime are anecdotal in all countries and as such don’t rely on statistics. Authorities in Barbados tend to be data driven and it is reported that they are reluctant to answer questions without data to substantiate answers. As a result of this there are few stories that highlight statistics but when they do, this is usually well done and contextualized. An excellent example is the One on One interview with Police Commissioner Richard Boyle 19 where his entire presentation is data driven. Does there appear to be an effort to fact-check and verify information before publication? There seem to be no apologies or corrections made by media houses or reported legal action taken against them which would indicate that proper fact-checking and verification is being done. Impact on perception: How might media coverage influence public perception of youth crime? It is beyond the scope of this study to properly assess if the reporting contributes to fear, stigmatization, or empathy towards the youth involved. It is of note though that while reporting highlights fear, disappointment, regret etc. about youth crime and its effects, there was no indication that media coverage caused this. People were responding to the events themselves. There was also no evidence of complaint that the media were not carrying too many or too few crime stories. Are there examples of responsible journalism that seek to educate and inform rather than sensationalize? Yes, there are examples of responsible journalism, particularly in Barbados that seek to inform and educate. It is important to note that in none of the countries being studied have we seen evidence that traditional media is sensationalizing stories. The stories reporting on youth involvement in crime and violence are typically sober and responsible even though they may be lacking in depth.
19 CBC TV8, One on One interview with Police Commissioner Richard Boyle. 19 th January 2024
44 A Media Analysis of the Coverage of Youth Involvement in Crime and Violence and Trafficking in Persons (June 2021 to June 2023) in the Eastern Caribbean
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