One of
Surette’s ideas that are most reflected in this episode is the media vision of
ideal offenders, ideal victims and ideal heroes. Surette says the social
dynamic underlying the media image of crime is of a trisected society populated
by predators, victims, and protectors, and in this episode of Law & Order it seems like it follows
that pattern although the roles change as we deeper in the episode.
When a woman who accused
her father of raping her when she was six years old recants her testimony, the
Special Victims Unit reviews the original investigation. The big question is
whether Derek Thompson is really innocent, or guilty since her daughter
Michelle has second thought about what really happened seventeen years ago.
“In the
media vision of society, evil and cunning predator criminal wolves create
general mayhem and prey on weak defenseless victim sheep while good crime
fighting heroic guard dogs protect the sheep,” says Surette. After watching
this episode’s open ending it is unclear who plays each role. It is unclear who
the victim is and who the predator is, but they are still there. On the other
hand, it is clear that the Special Victims Unit crew play the heroic guard dog.
The episode also reflects the front end of the
criminal justice system, which promotes pro-law enforcement and control
policies; you commit a crime and you are proven guilty, you go to jail. You might have a review; if you
are still proven guilty you go to jail again, if you are not guilty, you are
free to go. Sometimes the criminal justice system is wrong, there have been plenty of times where criminals are proven not guilty and when innocents have been proven guilty. The Special Victims Unit fights for justice, just like American judges, attorneys, investigators, but just like in real life, there is always room for mistakes. All victims aren't "a weak, defenseless victim sheep" and not all criminals are "intruder wolfs who lack essential human qualities and are different from the rest of us."
