Assessing the Impact of Mass Media in Investigation of Cases in the Criminal Justice System of Uganda

Nansubuga Shamim

School of Law, Kampala International University, Uganda

ABSTRACT

This article assesses the impact of mass media in investigation of cases in the criminal justice system of Uganda. The study reveals that the media, through its depictions of crime, significantly influences public perception and understanding of criminal justice. Moreover, we found that the evolution of technology, specifically social media, plays a substantial role in media criminology. On this note, the article calls for force media liaison officers should be formally members of management teams within serious crime investigations, at least for the initial phase of the investigation when press interest is likely to be at its height. Second, investigators could achieve this by participating in joint exercises with media liaison and exposing them to a variety of media handling scenarios and exercises. Third, we should also consider introducing investigators to the principles of media handling in criminal investigations at an earlier stage in their careers. Fourth, there should be more effort to improve communications between press and media officers, as well as CID. This could be achieved through a combination of workshops and short secondments of junior officers in media offices. Finally, as part of ongoing family liaison, we should monitor and address the media’s impact on the relatives of victims. At the earliest opportunity, family liaison officers should provide relatives with copies of all formal press statements.

Keywords: Court trial, Crime, Criminal justice system, Investigation, Mass media.

CITE AS: Nansubuga Shamim. (2024). Assessing the Impact of Mass Media in Investigation of Cases in the Criminal Justice System of Uganda. RESEARCH INVENTION JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN EDUCATION 4(2):43-48. https://doi.org/10.59298/RIJRE/2024/424348