Criminalization of Youth in the Media

DeMarcus
When youth are portrayed in the media, the statistics on youth violence are exaggerated. The media puts it out as though youth are at the core of America's violence, when really adults commit three times as many crimes. If the real statistics about youth were widely known, then maybe the portrayal of youth in the media wouldn't be so violent, and maybe these stupid laws that are made to "supposedly" lower the rate of youth crime wouldn't even be considered by voters.

Torre'
I think that the criminalization of youth in the media is important to address. If youth continue to think that if they are no good, and if youth continue to get no positive attention, then many of them to turn toward the wrong direction so that they can get attention from the media, peers, and even family.

The media usually take the victims' words, when really the attacker can be the real victim -- maybe not physically but mentally, sexually, and/or emotionally. The media rarely listen to the youth point of view, and when they do decide to listen, they usually twist up all the words. The media always goes to older people rather than youth, even though adults often don't understand what youth are going through. For example: studies show that out of 817 articles where youth were perpetrators of crimes, advocates for youth were quoted less than 14% of the time, whereas law enforcement was quoted 43% of the time, prosecutors and judges were quoted 31% of the time, and politicians were quoted 16% of the time. The people most affected by crime coverage, youth portrayed as perpetrators in news stories, wee quoted less than 8% of the time.

Even when youth get media attention, it is often not the kind they wanted. For example: 7 out of 10 local television news stories on violence in California involve youth, but young people only make up 14.1% of violent arrests. In reality, only 2% of youth in California were either victims of perpetrators of violence! In the media, youth are often labelled as threats to society and their lives are basically through because of the media stereotypes that youth are criminals. Really youth are the victims and California's Proposition 21 is the attacker! We wouldn't do what we do if we were listened to by you!

Kareema
Adults rely on the media and trust that the media gives them true and accurate information. To find out that the media is misinforming its audience, who are mostly adults, is disturbing! I don't know if this misinformation is done purposely or if it is from the laziness of reporters and mediamakers, but it drastically damages the image of youth everywhere.

Damon
The media makes it seem that all youth are bad, but not all youth are bad. It's not right to only quote youth 14% of the time when reporting on incidents when youth were the perpetrators of the crime. In fact, 7 out of 10 TV news stories on violence in California involved youth, but youth only made up 14.1% of violent arrests! Furthermore, the media frequently shows TV stories with children or youth doing violent acts, but only 2% of youth in California were either victims or perpetrators of violence. The media also makes me mad when they change a little story into a big one. The media changes stories around with misinformation, making all the kids seem like gangbangers, suspects, or criminals. I also dislike when white youth do bad things and get off basically free, while black youth do something bad but have worse consequences. What makes me really upset is that the media almost never shows youth doing good things or youth being perpetrated or violated. This is what I think could be done better: give youth more time to speak our minds on the subjects that concern us, show more positive youth in the media, and make the media be more critical and analytical of the juvenile justice system.