Media Engagement in Forensics
Xanthé Mallett · 2023
The media is highly influential in how the public see forensic evidence. Those with “an interest in” true crime are now content producers, who fail to understand the genre’s complexities, their responsibilities, and the impact of unreliable or biased content creation. However, the ever-increasing public interest in true crime, and by extension forensic practice, is also a mechanism by which the media can be used to dispel some of the widely held myths and misunderstandings. The aim of this Chapter is to review some of the positive and negative aspects of the media’s engagement with forensic science, and criminal cases more broadly. It will focus on three types of media influence, using cases to contextualize the discussion: Firstly, the impact of online material, and social media more specifically, on the criminal justice process; secondly, the police use of the media to engage the public with ongoing investigations; and thirdly, the powerful affect the media can have to raise awareness of wrongful convictions. In conclusion, a balance must be found between responsible creation and consumption of true crime. Through our choices as consumers, we can support a responsible media that assists victims, survivors, and their families, as well as the wrongfully convicted.