coverage of youth gangs and violent crimes is handled differently in each news organization. Representatives of the press, news managers, and public officials met to discuss how the media cover youth crime at a conference of the Society of Professional Journalists in September 1994. News professionals are divided on how to cover juvenile crime, also. Some newspapers name the youth offenders and their gang affiliations: "If you've got another John Dillinger living next door, you're going to want to know about it" (Case, p. 12). Others do not print the names of juvenile delinquents because their editors believe young offenders can be rehabilitated and publicity would negatively impact their chances at reform. Several television news managers indicate that they minimize such news because it gives attention to the perpetrator and does little to benefit the public.
As violent crimes and murder increase among minors, media personnel debate whether or not to give space and airtime to fame-hungry gang members and juvenile criminals. Other newspapers coo
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