distort our understanding of crime? What consequences can this distorted vision have for an individual? There is currently a significant literature on the criteria that make up our news and current affairs; eye-catching or worthy of media attention(Chibnall, 1977; Hall et al., 1978; Katz, 1987; Ericson et al., 1989) While. It is common knowledge that in the realms of news and entertainment, the media focuses largely on the most serious examples of crime and victimization (Marsh, 1991; Reiner et al., 2000). Paradoxically, it is “white collar” crimes such as fraud, burglary, money laundering and embezzlement that in fact constitute the majority of criminal offenses recorded. (Maguire, 2002). This essay will aim to explain how the media can manipulate and distort reality and change the public's perspectives on crime and victimization. First, a medium or “media” in its plural form is a means of communication. It is an area in which members of society can disseminate and obtain information. Mass media therefore refers to communication platforms that involve the transmission of information to a large audience. However, the question of exactly how large a “number” must be to qualify as “mass” is something that ultimately remains undefined (Dutton, O Sullivan, Rayner & Rayner, 2003). influential techniques for achieving social control in modern society, uses mass media and its ability not only to reach; but also influence and manipulate a large audience and the perspectives they defend. In order to fuel public curiosity and keep us informed of current events, it is the duty of local and global media to report their findings by whatever means possible. This often takes ...... middle of paper ...... year. To do this, they use surveys, facts, polls and other tools. In the meantime, they need to ensure that many of these tools are not biased in themselves. Stories of murders, assaults, and other violent crimes appear to be overrepresented because they can easily and headline-grabber the viewer's attention, regardless of the decline in crime. Of all crime stories, the stories that are reported the most are murder, although statistically, murder is the rarest crime, and also one that is in decline nationally. Even in New Orleans, where the murder rate is 10 times the national average, this remains very rare relative to the city's population. People in cities surrounding New Orleans also often read about crime in New Orleans in their media, which gives them the impression that murders are happening in their neighborhood. The crimes that make headlines are not common crimes.,