Date of Award

2019

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Thesis

Department

History

First Advisor

Krista Cline

Abstract

Television crime dramas are becoming more and more popular, introducing new shows and spin-offs every year. With their growing popularity, it is important to study the possible impacts that they could have on society, and people’s views of crime and criminality. This study looks at how much college students watch and enjoy these shows, and whether they affect their perception on the criminal justice system and procedures shown in the crime dramas. Questionnaires given to Butler University students inquire about their crime drama watching habits as well of their opinions and views on different aspects of the justice system, including police effectiveness and criminals themselves. I hypothesized that the amount and type of crime dramas that Butler students watch will make them less concerned about crime and criminals, and more confident in the criminal justice system to catch offenders. Findings showed that those who enjoy crime dramas do have more confidence in the U.S. criminal justice system.

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