Crime is one of the most popular local topics to report on, and a cliche in journalism has it that “if it bleeds, it leads.” Yet despite the prominence given to such news items, most Americans do not say they are highly satisfied with their level of local crime coverage. Instead, they tend to believe that the information they get exaggerates or underplays the amount of local crime.
The survey also finds that the broader community’s perception of the problem of local crime may be shaped by how they see their own role in it. Nearly three-quarters of those who consume crime news say they are very or extremely concerned about how the crime in their area affects them personally. That share is much larger than those who get crime news occasionally or rarely.
Most Americans are interested in a variety of local crime news topics, including tips about how to stay safe and broader patterns in local crime. But they don’t find it easy to get the information they want, especially when it comes to what local officials are doing about it.
By political party, Republicans (including independents who lean Republican) are more interested than Democrats and Democratic leaners in both the details of local crime and in learning about underlying causes. But a large majority of people in both parties say they are concerned about the impact of local crime. Similarly, lower-income adults are more interested in local crime news than their higher-income counterparts, but they are less likely to find the information they want.