Media and crime

Abstract

“Don’t go letting that sociology degree get you killed.” This line comes out of the mouth of the hard-edged cop, Dirty Harry, in the film by the same name (1971). Played by Clint Eastwood, Dirty Harry is constantly getting in trouble with his superiors, and regularly skirts the law in order to effectively dole out justice to those who deserve it. His sarcastic quip is his way of telling his new partner, who has just graduated with a college degree, how things “really are” for police on the street. It is an old theme in Hollywood films, where effective police officers are frequently depicted as ones who flaunt the rules, get things done by any means necessary, and understand the code of the street in a way that neither liberals nor bureaucrats can ever comprehend.