Response to "Blood Brothers"

            After reading the blog at http://bricrim.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/blood-brothers/  and too viewing the program Blood Brothers appearing on Channel Nine on May 8 I have to agree with this perspective.  I too believe in Jeffrey Gilham’s guilt but similarly I am sceptical about the legitimacy of the information supporting my opinion. Blood Brothers was an extremely one-sided account of the murders that occurred that night in the Gilham household and therefore viewers are easily persuaded to side with the crowns case that Jeffrey is in fact guilty of the murder of all three members of his family. Given evidence from Surette (2007) and Marsh and Melville (2009) that the media is the source of up to seventy-five per cent of our crime knowledge and we place our trust in the media to give us truthful information. The perspective taken by the media in telling these apparent true crime stories is extremely important regarding whether or not we believe in the guilt or innocent of the accused offender in question. In Blood Brothers Jeffrey is clearly portrayed as guilty and the acting out of his character in the film (as Bri mentioned in her blog) made it almost impossible to like him. Whilst in other programs such as the first series of Underbelly where the series is shot partially from the criminals point of view and we almost come to like the characters. For example, the opening scene with the two characters Jason Moran and Alphonse Gangitano is amusing, even after Alphonse guns down an innocent man. In any other situation I would have been angered by such a senseless crime, but in the context of this media I found myself siding with the ‘bad guys’, hoping they wouldn’t get caught. If Underbelly had of been shot from a law abiding perspective would my opinion have been different? Had Blood Brothers been scripted to show Jeffrey’s side of the story would be believe in his innocence? Most likely.

The media outlines only one side to the story unlike the proper legal system of criminal courts where both cases are heard. If the media effectively showed both sides to every story the wider community as a whole would be able to form more educated and correct opinions on the guilt and innocence of individuals.

References

Blood Brothers, 2011, telemovie, Nine Network

Marsh, I. and Melville, G. (2009). Crime, Justice and the Media 1st ed. London: Routledge.

Surette, R (2007) Media, Crime and Criminal Justice: Images, Realities and Policies, Thomson, USA

Underbelly, 2008, television mini-series, Nine Network

Policing and the media

            The relationship between policing and the media has increased in recent decades but with different intentions from the two sides. The police have utilised the media in increasing the appeal for information as well as providing information to the community regarding current crime and methods of prevention, whereas the media on the other hand exploit policing of crime purely for entertainment purposes (Reiner and Newburn, 2003).

            Police officers and policing work is portrayed in many different lights through various types of media today, including news, television series (fiction and non-fiction), movies and books. This varies from for example the ‘corrupt’ cops in Underbelly: the Golden Mile to the ‘dumb’ cops in the Policy Academy films all the way through to the portrayal of the ‘real’ cop in current reality television shows such as The Force: Behind the Line and RBT. The ways in which police officers are portrayed in the media plays a great role in influencing peoples’ thoughts and opinions surrounding the police force and often the media is uses this to its advantage. For example, following television series supposedly based on true events such as Underbelly: the Golden Mile led to greater questioning of corruption in the police force. Through these programs we see the police as the ‘bad guys’ and the actual criminals as somewhat good through the use of clever cinematic techniques. Seeing the crime from the criminal’s perspective somehow makes us believe that it is ok. From the other end of the spectrum, we have shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation that allow us to view crime through the police officers’ perspectives, having an opposite effect.  Then we have reality TV; an attempt at demonstrating the ‘reality’ of police work. I believe that shows like The Force: Behind the Line and RBT do try to change our attitudes toward police officers. For example on The Force: Behind the Line it often shows young adults with characteristics resembling ourselves and peers in training for the police force which leads us to believe that policing is almost ‘cool’ in a way.

            As a previous dedicated viewer of CSI I believed I wanted to enter the field of forensic science as an adult, however the career is not as ‘glamorous’ and fun as it seems on crime TV – an industry heavily reliant on all that is gory, dangerous and fatal. The reality of this particular form of policing is in no way apparent in current media except for the occasional book entailing a biography of a real life forensic investigator – of which are rarely promoted, I believe in attempt to ‘cover up’ real accounts of the true nature of the policing industry. A book by Esther McKay entitled Crime Scene is one of my favourites as it is the tale of her short-lived career in the forensic investigation unit at Campbelltown before she was discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder – a disorder more common in the police force than is let on. McKay states on page 1:

            “day after day my life was consumed with killings, distress and gruesome sights, each one adding another piece to an ever-growing mosaic that seemed to be made up of bloodied disposable gloves, plastic bags and human waste”

            She goes on to explain scenes she witnessed which have haunted her forever such as the body from a suicide liquefied in the car, bodies so decomposed limbs fall off when they are moved and not to mention the smells or thousands of blowflies.

            But we don’t see this stuff on TV or in movies, they make it look like a dead body will be clean, fragrance-free and easy on the eye, but it is highly misleading, especially for those dreaming of a career in the police force. If you haven’t already read Crime Scene I highly recommend you do so! Especially if you like me have considered a career in forensic policing...

References

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, 2000 – present, television series, CBS, the United States of        America

McKay, E. (2006) Crime Scene, Sydney: Penguin.

Policy Academy, 1984 - 1994, series of motion pictures, Warner Bros.

Reiner, R. and Newburn, T. (2003) Handbook of Policing: Policing and the Media,             Cullompton: Willan

RBT, February 2011 – present, television series, Nine Network, Sydney

The Force, 2006 – present, television series, Channel Seven, Perth

Underbelly: the Golden Mile, 2010, television mini-series, Nine Network, Sydney