Violence in Crime-Appeal Programming and in Crime Statistics

Numerous studies have noted that media representations of violent crime do not correspond to actual levels and features of violence in society. The present article examines whether this is true of the Finnish crime-appeal program Poliisi-TV. In addition, the article identifies similarities and differences in Finnish violence reporting in comparison with international research findings. The data consist of 23 episodes including 67 violence vignettes that are contrasted with statistical data on violence. Violence is highly over-reported in the program. A typical violent crime is an assault on the street at night between two previously unacquainted Finnish men, although reports on more hidden and rare types of violence are also prominent. Thus, the common generalization that crime media concentrate on the most violent and serious crimes perpetrated on the most vulnerable victims is disputed. The article discusses possible explanations for the differences among Anglo-Saxon and Nordic crime media contents and calls for more research on crime media’s positive implications.