The Role of the Media in the Disparate Response to Gun Violence in America

Bibliographic Data

ID7841726
AuthorsWanda Parham-Payne (Prince George’s Community College, Largo, MD, USA, corresponding author)
Year2014
Volume45
Issue8
Pages752-768
Publication date2014-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Black Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-9347 • E-ISSN: 1552-4566
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0021934714555185
OpenAlexW2126088106
LanguageEN
Citations received20
References cited44

In December 2012, 20 elementary school children fell victim to gun violence. Shortly after the killings occurred, national media outlets instantaneously and simultaneously began covering the tragedy with “calls to action” explicitly voiced by public officials and members of the general citizenry. Gun violence in African American communities has also left an indelible mark on the quality and quantity of life among the youngest members as well. Statistics released by federal law enforcement officials reveal that, collectively, more children of color die each year to gun violence. However, gun-related crimes involving low-income persons and racial and ethnic minorities are framed by the media as a convergence of cultural, environmental, and individual shortcomings and immorality. Consequently, structural and/or policy resolutions to address such crimes involving low-income persons and racial and ethnic minorities are overlooked or even omitted from the national and, more importantly, political discourse

Criminology · Ethnic group · Gun control · Gun violence · Law enforcement · Poison control · Political science · Politics · Social science · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Tragedy (event · Crime, Deviance, and Social Control · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Law · Smoking Behavior and Cessation

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub