Legal narratives as significant news sources about mental illness and violent crime

Wondemaghen, Meron

Abstract

Media coverage about people affected by mental illness is an area of research that is extensively examined. Many scholars argue that the media depicts people with mental illness as inherently violent and dangerous within sensational narratives. These depictions are criticized for reinforcing the social stigma and disadvantages many of the mentally ill face. The media does, however, require news sources and, in the context of crime and mental illness, the courts are a significant source. Through qualitative content analysis of Australian newspaper articles, this research examines an under-researched and incompletely theorized area. In doing so, it demonstrates that media depictions of some mentally ill offenders reflect and heavily draw upon legal narratives and what is argued in court about these offenders in the context of criminal responsibility and legal insanity. © 2013 School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University.

Citation

Wondemaghen, M. (2014). Legal narratives as significant news sources about mental illness and violent crime. International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 38(4), 343-372. https://doi.org/10.1080/01924036.2013.848219

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 1, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Oct 18, 2013
• Publication Date: 2014
• Deposit Date: Sep 9, 2022
• Journal: International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice
• Print ISSN: 0192-4036
• Electronic ISSN: 2157-6475
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 343-372
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01924036.2013.848219
• Keywords: Mental illness; Violence; Crime; Media; Courts
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4056786