Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference, 2026

In March 2026, I had the opportunity to present my research at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences conference, where I explored how crime was reported in a small-town newspaper during one of the most turbulent periods in U.S. history—the Great Depression. Drawing on a close analysis of the Huntingdon Daily News from 1933, my study examines how local journalism framed blame, responsibility, and tone in crime reporting. What emerges is a complex picture: even when responsibility appears ambiguous, it is rarely neutral, and crime is often constructed as an individual moral failure rather than a social issue shaped by broader economic conditions.

This project not only sheds light on historical reporting practices but also raises questions that still resonate today: How do media narratives shape our understanding of crime, and whose responsibility we hold accountable?

Many thanks to my colleague John Crum from the Criminal Justice Department at Juniata College and my awesome Reesearch Assistant Sina Liesenhoff for their invaluable contributions.

Here is my presentation where you can explore some of our key findings.