Assignment:
The discussion assignment provides a forum for discussing relevant topics for the basis of the course competencies covered.
For this assignment, make sure you post your initial response to the Discussion Area by the due date assigned.
To support your work, use your course and text readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.
Start reviewing and responding to the postings of your classmates as early in the week as possible. Respond to at least two of your classmates' initial postings. Participate in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with a rationale, challenging an aspect of the discussion, or indicating a relationship between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion. Cite sources in your responses to other classmates. Complete your participation for this assignment by the end of the week.
Portrayals of criminals in the news and in popular culture may influence the way that the public perceives certain types of criminals. The popularity of movies such as The Godfather and Scarface, and television shows such as Breaking Bad and Sons of Anarchy seems to suggest that viewers identify positively with certain criminal "heroes."
1. The lead characters in Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, and The Sopranos were shown to be brutal killers, yet the stories were constructed around those characters. Why does this seem to be the case? What is the appeal of a criminal as a hero?
2. Do movies and television shows such as these glamorize crime? If so, are there specific crimes or behaviors that are more likely to be glamorized and some more likely to be demonized?
3. How can the predominant theories of criminology relate to this phenomenon?
4. If it can be established that these portrayals influence real-world criminal behavior, should there be legal restrictions on how criminals are portrayed in popular culture? Explain your reasoning.