The Impact of Media on Knowledge and Perceptions of Megan’s Law

Abstract

Using survey data, this research examines the role of media exposure and attention to media on people’s knowledge and perception of a specific criminal justice policy: Megan’s Law. Overall, the results revealed that general knowledge ofMegan’s Law is low. Media exposure and attention increased the level of specific knowledge of Massachusetts community notification law but did not have an effect on knowledge of Megan’s Law in general. Attention to crime in the newspaper was related to both support forMegan’s Law and belief in its effectiveness. The low level of variability in support, however, suggests that community notification is an across-the-board popular policy, even among people with minimal media exposure and who pay little attention to crime in the news.