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Stereotypes Of Crime In The Film Training Day

1307 Words6 Pages

Contradictory to common knowledge, the media rarely portrays the objective truth concerning crime. There is always some form of bias behind the scenes, whether it is conscious or not. The effect of these biases is crime myths– false beliefs about crime (Kappeler & Potter, 2006). Bias-influenced crime myths penetrate popular culture and the media, impacting public views and legislative outcomes. Hegemonic crime myths further the incorrect stereotypes inflicting more damage to the perception of race, class, and gender minorities while counter-hegemonic crime myths provide an opposing view (Kappeler and Potter, 2017). These misconceptions are frequently stereotypes that spread misinformation and lead to a fearful culture targeting the scapegoats …show more content…

The plot revolves around Jake Hoyt (played by Hawke), a rookie LAPD narcotics officer who is teamed with senior investigator Alonzo Harris (played by Washington) for a one-day training program. This film exemplifies that media illustrations are not merely entertainment, but intruders into our subconscious creating negative societal impacts. The film's significant mythological substance, functioning in this case as a crime myth, has immense ideological ramifications such as rogue cops being glorified as “the good guys”, and African Americans identity directly correlating to thugs, criminals, and sexual deviance.
Crooked cops are not just something depicted in the movie Training Day, this is also an unfortunate reality in society. Many officers abuse their power, defeating the entire purpose of the criminal justice system. Such actions should be societally criticized and frowned upon, but as shown in the film, this is not always the case. The adoration of renegade policemen is one of the most …show more content…

Moral panics are phenomena in which there is widespread dread and worry about a certain subject or group in society, which is sometimes exacerbated by exaggerated or distorted information (Heiner, 2008). The portrayal of minorities as aggressive and drug-addicted in Training Day adds to a culture of fear and distrust towards these populations, potentially leading to moral panics. Equally important, portraying minorities as inherently criminal and dangerous might promote moral panics, leading to more police and monitoring of these populations, perpetuating inequality and prejudice. In addition, derogatory language and stereotyped representations of minorities might help to perpetuate crime myths which have the potential to take on a life of their own, spreading extensively and affecting public opinion and legislation. For example, the idea that blacks commit the majority of crimes has been used to justify tactics like racial profiling, which has been demonstrated to be discriminatory and unproductive. This can result in a vicious cycle of fear, distrust, and social isolation, undermining attempts for social justice and

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