Résumé:
This study falls within the realm of qualitative research that relies on the exploratory phase to construct the subject through analysis and description of youth representations toward stereotypical images of crime in media. This was accomplished by using the associative network technique with a group of young people, and content analysis of a selection of films that achieved the highest viewership rates on the IMDb platform. The descriptive approach was employed to identify youth representations toward stereotypical images of crime in films, and to understand how these images are formed in the minds of young people through films.
The associative network technique was applied to 20 young people of various ages and both genders (females/males), purposively selected. Five films that won Oscar awards and were classified among the best crime films between the following years were analyzed: (1980/1990), (1990/2000), (2000/2010), (2010/2020), (2020/2025).
The study results revealed:
Youth representations toward stereotypical images of crime in films differ according to gender The most common stereotypical images of criminals are the male criminal, the psychologically disturbed criminal, and the intelligent criminal The means of crime differed according to the temporal development of films (from traditional to advanced methods), while the techniques included psychological manipulation and violence These stereotypical images influence youth perspectives and representations regarding crime and criminals.
