Role Of The Media In Law Creation

 The old saying “If it bleeds, it leads” clearly applies to the modern 24-hour a day news media.  It is clear that the media plays a very important role in public perceptions of crime and criminal justice.  How the media presents a problem can influence law creation.  Most often this role is one of creating fear of crime, an example of which is how crack cocaine came to be more harshly penalized than powder cocaine.  Explain the media’s role in law creation, and how the 24-hour a day news cycle has changed public perceptions of crime and criminal justice.