Seeing Justice: Witnessing, Crime and Punishment in Visual Media

Mary Angela Bock's book "Seeing Justice" explores how criminal justice in the US is presented in visual media by focusing on the grounded practices of visual journalists in relationship with law enforcement. It reveals the practical struggles between journalists, police, and court officials to control the way images influence their resulting narratives, and offers a model for understanding how images are used in news narrative.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 20 July 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

In the realm of crime, social justice, and the law, the visual media presents a complex and often misleading portrayal of reality. In the contemporary mediated social world, visual communication has undergone a democratic transformation, reshaping our understanding and utilization of images as evidence. Mary Angela Bock's book, Seeing Justice, delves into the examination of how criminal justice in the United States is portrayed in visual media, specifically focusing on the grounded practices of visual journalists in their interactions with law enforcement. Through extensive interviews, participant observation, contemporary court cases, and critical discourse analysis, Bock provides a comprehensive exploration of the ways in which digitization is altering the dynamics between media, consumers, and the criminal justice system. From the tabloid coverage of the last public hanging in the US to the viral Karen-shaming videos, from mugshots to perp walks, Bock uncovers the practical struggles between journalists, police, and court officials to shape the narrative influenced by images. By revealing the powerful interests that shape what the public perceives, Seeing Justice offers a valuable model for understanding the role of images in news narratives.

In the context of crime, social justice, and the law, the visual media presents a complex and often misleading portrayal of reality. In the contemporary mediated social world, visual communication has undergone a democratic transformation, reshaping our understanding and utilization of images as evidence. Mary Angela Bock's book, Seeing Justice, delves into the examination of how criminal justice in the United States is portrayed in visual media, specifically focusing on the grounded practices of visual journalists in their interactions with law enforcement. Through extensive interviews, participant observation, contemporary court cases, and critical discourse analysis, Bock provides a comprehensive exploration of the ways in which digitization is altering the dynamics between media, consumers, and the criminal justice system. From the tabloid coverage of the last public hanging in the US to the viral Karen-shaming videos, from mugshots to perp walks, Bock uncovers the practical struggles between journalists, police, and court officials to shape the narrative influenced by images. By revealing the powerful interests that shape what the public perceives, Seeing Justice offers a valuable model for understanding the role of images in news narratives.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190926977