Fake News Forensics: Media Construction of Children

This assignment asks you to critically examine how the media constructs childhood in the context of crimeespecially when children or youth are framed as “monsters,” “thugs,” or “innocents.” You’ll select a sensationalized or misleading news story involving a child or teen as the offender, victim, or symbol, and unpack how the framing impacts public perception, policy, and justice.

Assignment Instructions:

Find a Sensationalized Article

Choose a crime-related article involving a minor (under 18) that exhibits bias or sensationalism. Topics may include:

• Youth gun violence
• Juvenile superpredators
• School shootings
• Children accused of violent crimes
• High-profile victim cases (e.g., JonBent Ramsey, Gabriel Fernandez)
• “Innocent child” vs. “evil child” tropes
• Tamir Rice and media
• Central Park Five (then vs. now)
• Affluenza teen case
• TikTok crime trend moral panics
• The Gabby Petito case vs. missing children

Sources can include traditional media (newspapers, TV) or digital platforms (blogs, TikTok, Twitter/X, Reddit, etc.).

Real Facts Behind the Story

• Use at least 2 reputable sources to fact-check the story
• Share what really happened, including context (e.g., juvenile sentencing laws, police response, community reaction)

Framing Bias or Misinformation

• How is the child portrayed (monster, victim, innocent, threat)?
• Identify signs of bias (racial, gendered, emotional language, stereotypes)
• Was there a lack of systemic critique (e.g., the justice system, media industry)?

Reflection: Why It Matters

• What impact could this article have on public perception, justice policies, or youth treatment in the system?
• How do distorted portrayals shape the publics understanding of crime and children?
• Upload to Canvas as a PDF, Word doc, or Google Slides
• Video: Upload your video file or share a link (YouTube unlisted, Google Drive, etc.)
• Include a brief reference list (in text or in video caption/description)

Students should include citations:

• Written: In-text citations + reference list