Chapter 6
Journalism Ethics: Issues
By David Krajicek

Here is a review of some of the fundamental issues of crime journalism ethics, with links to related stories and resources.

1. What should we cover? Do we give readers and viewers what they demand, or do they merely eat what we feed them?
   • Does a celebrity's shoplifting case rate front-page treatment?
   • Why do crime aberrations get so much media attention while the preponderate crime, such as theft, is largely ignored (unless it happens to involve a celebrity)?
     http://www.witn.psu.edu/articles/article.phtml?article_id=92&show_id=16
2. Who counts?
   • How does your news operation choose its crime stories? Are decisions based upon socio-economics, race, gender or celebrity? Does geography play a role? Will a homicide in a gated suburb get more play than one in a "transitional" neighborhood?
   • Why does a child abduction in an affluent suburb rate higher on the news agenda than others?
     http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jun02/51305.asp
3. Suspect Descriptions
   • Do racial descriptions of suspects help solve crimes or merely reinforce biases?
     http://www.rtnda.org/trades/racism.shtml
4. Knocking on Doors
   • How can we do our jobs while being respectful of the families of victims and suspects?
     http://victims.jrn.msu.edu/public/articles/anniv.html
5. Tone and Taste
   • Should we use gruesome videotape or photographic images?
     http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=53&aid=14675
     http://www.journalism.indiana.edu/Ethics/good.html
     http://www.journalism.indiana.edu/Ethics/TVtease.html
6. Weighing the Rights of Victims and Suspects
   • http://www.trynova.org/Victims/cwrights.html
7. Sexual Assault
   • When is it appropriate to name victims of sexual assault? Is detail more important that caution when, say, writing about an incest case?
     http://www.dallasnews.com/dmn/news/stories/ 112402dnlivmikekelly.36619.html
     http://www.editorandpublisher.com/editorandpublisher/
     features_columns/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1813765
8. When are suicides legitimate stories?
   • http://www.rtnda.org/ethics/sdexpert.shtml
9. As a reporter, are you compelled to explain the potential ramifications when a juvenile or feeble-minded person consents to an interview?
   • http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=4571
10. Are some stories so important that journalists should use masquerades or even break laws?
    • http://weeklywire.com/ww/12-07-99/alibi_thin.html
      http://enquirer.com/editions/1998/06/29/loc_chiquita29.html