Sentencing in the media : a content analysis of English-language newspapers in Canada / Julian Roberts.: J23-3/20-1988E-PDF

"Public opinion polls over the period 1975-85 have documented widespread public disapproval with sentencing practices (or what the public perceive to be current sentencing practices). Recent research by the Canadian Sentencing Commission found that 95% of the polled public cited the news media as their primary source of information about sentencing and the criminal justice system. Little work has investigated media treatment of sentencing stories. This study consists of a content analysis of a sample of nine English-language newspapers in Canada for a one-year period (1984-85). It complements other analyses of news media also conducted for the Canadian Sentencing Commission (see: Rosenfeld, 1988 and Tremblay, 1988). Results indicated that offences against the person were highly over-represented, relative to their actual frequency. In addition, most sentencing stories were very brief and made no mention of the purposes of sentencing in general or the reasons for the particular sentence. Imprisonment was the disposition in 70% of the reported cases. No mention was made of maximum penalties, minimum penalties or current sentencing practice. These findings are discussed in light of the public opinion data which have been interpreted to reveal widespread public dissatisfaction with sentencing"--Abstract, p. iii.

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