A crime is a behavior to which the criminal justice system responds. Crimes are typically classified as a greater violation of public order (a felony) or lesser violations (a misdemeanor). They are investigated, prosecuted and adjudicated according to rules of criminal procedure.
Journalists must be careful not to pick and choose which words they use to describe crime. If the police and courts use a particular term, journalists should stick to it. For example, a murder is a homicide; stealing is theft; and a robbery is a robbery with violence or a threat of violence. This consistency will help readers and listeners to understand crime and the complexities of the legal process.
Some social constructionists, such as criminologists Leroy Gould and Gary Kleck, see the situational context in which crimes occur as crucial. They argue that a “crime event” involves more than just criminals and crime victims; it also includes bystanders, witnesses, police officers and the local community’s institutional agencies.
Sociologists and anthropologists have observed that behaviors deemed to be crimes vary across cultures and in different situations. This is because the meanings of offences reflect values which can change over time. The seriousness of offensive acts depends upon what legislators think is important, and how they weigh these concerns against their economic and political interests.
Victims are a key part of any story about crime. Journalists should gain access to them respectfully, deal with them sensitively, collect their version of events and report them carefully. They are often under great stress, and they should be given a voice in their own words.