Everyone has a favorite cop / criminal justice / crime movie or TV show. What are yours and why?
April 1, 2013
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CJS-360 Diversity Issues 
A movie that I really like — even though it is a bit diversity-incorrect in parts — is “The Other Guys” with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. It is about two white cops that are kicked around in their department and start making plans to become heroes. It is a parody of a buddy cop / action movie–but at the same time, a great buddy cop /action movie with lots of laughs and even a little bit of food for thought.
Hands down its Bad Boys 2. The movie is what every kid pictures a cop being, shooting bad guys, fighting crime, dating or protecting HOT WOMEN, and being the Hero every time.
First one was better Don. Everyone should watch end of watch, hillstreet blues, colors, LA confidential, and police academy (1 and 2). because the best way to look at policing is with a sense of humor. I believe that people need to be able to laugh at things and make light of stressfull situations; for the greatest coping mechanism is laughter.
One of my favorite movies is The Fugitive – with Harrison Ford. He escapes from federal custody and is declared a fugitive. He sets out to prove his innocence and bring those who were responsible to justice, while being pursued relentlessly by U.S. Marshals. This story is great because it shows the flaws of the criminal justice system, not everyone who is convicted is guilty and sometimes people that go free should be in prison.
My favorite tv show is Law and Order. This show does what others can only hope to do. They show the investigative process that officers have to go through, the thought process of the prosecuting attorney in deciding to pursue charges or not, and the trial process. I know that a lot of information and procedures are left out in the show and that it is not as easy as it looks on tv to get evidence and argue a case but it makes a boring process in real life seem awesome and exciting. Another reason that I enjoy the show is that some times they touch on issues that are occurring in real life. They do a good job of bringing both side of a subject and in some cases they end the show with no conclusion and allow the viewer to make their own call on a case.
Tou – I agree, I really like Law and Order, and Law and Order SVU. I think they do a good job bringing in current problems and issues. One of my faves!
Tou – I also agree with you! Law and Order is one of the best crime TV shows. They bring a wide range of different problems and show how each part is handled.
Law & Order is my favorite too. I also appreciate the show consistently presents ethical dilemmas both in the investigation side and the prosecution side. The characters often struggle with choices between doing their actions and what the end result will be (ends and the means). It has also been a vehicle for me to learn legal and criminal justice terminology.
A few of my favorite movies and tv shows are Law and Order, White Collar, Bad Boys 2, Training Day, Lethal Weapon 4, Die Hard with a Vengeance and Tango and Cash. Most of them are action packed and show different sides to law enforcement. I like White Collar because the use of an alleged criminal for expertise and consulting is the reason why the unit closes so many cases. I feel this actually could be beneficial in real life as well in solving tough cases by having a criminal say how they would do something, or the best way to commit a crime. Not every law enforcement official is going to figure that out themselves. I like Training Day because it shows the corrupted side of law enforcement. Tango and Cash, though it’s old, is one of my favorite movies since I was a kid. I love the story line of how two top cops are framed and thrown in prison and then escape and fight to clear their names.
I like all of the Law & Order series, First 48, old school Ally McBeal, and The Practice. I like Law & Order because it simulates all four major actors in the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of criminal. I like the Fiirst 48 because it simulates real life criminal investigations and interagation processes of police. I enjoyed Ally McBeal and The Practice because of the court room antics of Ally McBeal and the serious drama of The Practice with both tatics producing victoious outcomes for their clients.
I am more into comedies so movies like Super Troopers, The Other Guys, and National Security are more of the police movies I like to watch. I also enjoy watching Reno 911. On a more serious side of policing, Third Watch is one of my favorite police shows. Some other shows i like are Cops, Boston’s Finest, and End of Watch is a good police movie. I never really got into the Law & Order series but i have heard good things about it.
My favorite show is a tie between “Rookie Blue” and “southland”, as for movies I love “end of watch” that came out more recently, however “super troopers” will always be a favorite. The thing that I notice that these all have in common is they are more or less “following” around the officers, and seem as close to real life as hollywood can make it. I do enjoy watching other shows such as “Law and Order” or “NCIS”, however I feel that the crime scenes in these (as well as the people) are more fake. Not to say that my favorite shows aren’t fake, but they seem to be more in touch with reality. The one thing about these shows that drives me crazy is how every call they respond to is a big, exciting call, and make it seem like that is the norm, when in all reality those types of calls come out once in awhile.
By far my two favorite cop movies are “End of Watch” and “Pride and Glory”. I feel that these two movies both show two completely different sides of both what being a cop is like and the problems that officers will be faced with. I feel that “End of Watch” does a very good job of showing what the daily life of being a police officer is about. Even though the calls the two officers respond to are a little extreme due to it being a movie, the movie does a great job of showing the interaction between fellow officers. “End of Watch” also does a great job of showing the family type relations formed between officers and also the dangers that officers may come across.
When it comes to “Pride and Glory”, I feel that the movie does a great job of showing the temptation that some cops give into. By this I mean the movie does a good job of showing how some officers may become corrupt because the benefit is to high to pass up for them. Whether this involves pocketing evidence, helping out drug dealers or using the badge to receive monetary gain. This movie also does a great job of showing that it may be the hardest thing for an officer to do, some officers will always put the law first. In the movie one officer turns on his brother who is also a cop, because his brother has become corrupt.
My favorite law enforcement/criminal justice TV show is “Blue Bloods.” This TV show revolves around a family that has many members serving at the New York City Police Department and how the law enforcement world can become intermixed within a family. The reason I like this show is because it reminds me of my immediate family that has many members working at law enforcement agencies. The show exemplifies what law enforcement work can do to a family from having an incident bring everyone so close or the extreme of tearing the family apart. I do not consistently follow this show but I have heard that it is a great drama to follow.
I do not know my favorite law enforcement movie but a newer one “End of Watch” is a good one. I do not necessarily agree with everything that was put into this movie but the movie does have great parts to it. It shows the dynamics between partners and when scary incidents happen to getting through an “ordinary” day together. I have experienced this closeness with a few of my partners at work after my critical incident that happened on duty a few months ago. I truly learned that they will always be there for you even when you are not sure. The most notable part of the movie is the funeral. I think there is a great significance to law enforcement and military funerals, they are the most sad but also the most beautiful. Officers killed in the line of duty deserve the upmost respect that one can offer.
I would have to say that I don’t watch very much tv but when I do watch, it would have to be Law and Order and The First 48. We all know that tv is typically not reality but with Law and Order I like how the show goes through the whole process from the crime being committed, a police investigation, police interrogation, arrest and prosecution. I like when they do go through the process the show includes not only the police but also, victims, suspects, police, attorneys and judges which at times is somewhat exaggerated but it does reflect the steps that we go through in the real world. Another show I enjoy is the First 48. The First 48 is a real life homicide show. Although it is condensed, it is a true reflection of what it takes to investigate a homicide. I also find it interesting to see how others in different states and departments investigate and what tactics they use.
I really like the “Other Guys” and “Super Troopers”. Both of those comedies make light of the everyday situations that law enforcement have to deal with. They both show law enforcement making horrible and irrational decisions, but somehow they come-out on top. I like comedies and both of these movies do a good job combining law enforcement and comedy.
My favorite TV show would be “Justified”. It’s a drama about a U.S. Marshall that typically serves the area that he grow-up in. The attitudes and banter of the citizens and the Marshall’s make it enjoyable to watch. It’s a TV drama so it shows the Hollywood perspective of being in law enforcement. Lots of drugs, prostitution, people shooting at each other, and no paper work. Timothy Olyphant makes the show; his character is so damaged.
Many Criminal Justice Movies/Television shows are very interesting. Once we get into the actual field, as some of us may already have entered we will find out that there are a lot of differences. I enjoy watching First 48 and watching them solve the crimes. Besides the show being interesting and fun to watch, most of the information that they give us is false. I think the shows and movies they are coming out with are interuptting with the reality of how criminal justice works and what actually goes into solving a crime. Unfortunately we cannot change the way they create television shows but we can help educate the public on how things are really done. One example is that when someone gets murdered it takes days to weeks until we find the results of DNA. On these television shows and movies they are getting their results within hours which is untrue.On the other hand, it is important to watch these shows because some have absolutely no idea how the criminal justice system works and if a portion of the shows are correct it can give the public a basic understanding.
I agree with you that some of the things that they portray are far from real (such as the DNA example). While cops in the field, and hopefully some of the people that watch these shows know that. However, I do think that we need to have some entertainment value for these shows. Unfortunately that means exaggerating the truth about what actually happens.
My favorite criminal justice TV show would be Law and Order SVU. I enjoy watching this show because the cases they deal with are believable. It’s more relate-able to real life situations. It’s has the right amount of mystery and drama to keep you hooked on it. I believe some cases they show are based on true stories too. It’s not like other shows where a police officer jumps out of an exploding building in slow motion and saves the day, although that is entertaining.
Just like the comment above, criminal justice shows can be interesting and fun to watch but not all shows correctly depict what really happens in the field. It’s also important to know how big of an influence the media can be to a person’s career.
The departed… a gritty drama that pins undercover cop (Dicaprio) against a rat in the department (Damon). It has a tremendous amounts of twists and some unexpected scenes which make it worthwhile to watch.
My favorite cop movie is End of Watch. To me, it seems to be one of the more realistic cop movies, aside from the types of calls they receive (I feel there would be more “boring” calls in an average day). I think the movie shows how cops interact with each other well by showing them getting along with some while talking bad about others. I believe it also captures how a partnership can bring two people close together, even if they are otherwise very different people.
My favorite cop show is Criminal Minds. While the subjects of the show are actually FBI agents and not street cops it is still entertaining. I would love to work for the FBI. I know it can be hard to get in but I would love doing that job. The story lines are really good and some are even based on real cases. The characters are relatable to real life. I know that a lot of the action that happens is far-fetched and exaggerated but there has to be some entertainment value in what we watch.
I like that show as well. Although, I don’t watch it very often , but the intricacies of cases in that show is remarkable. Particulary, the way the FBI experts solve those criminal cases . I like when they use some types of psychoanalysis to extract information out of the suspects.
Well my favorite show that has involvement with the criminal justice system is Case Closed. This show is an anime but the whole basis of the show is about detective work. I really like watching it and trying to solve the crime before the protagonist(s) do. Obviously since it is anime it can be hard to see a link to reality, but the basis of the show and the crimes in every episode could happen in real life. It is one of my favorites and it has gotten to the point where I can link episode crimes up with real life crimes.
My favorite COP TV show is called “Hill Street Blue” which is a classic one. The show was an American serial police drama portrayed the lives of the staff of a single precinct in an unnamed American city. The show did receive a plethora of accolades for its’ accurate presentation of what was going in a congested, crime infested city.
The question why do I like this show?
The “Hill Street Blues” was truly a COP show; it showed the good intentions of some officers who made sacrifices to solve crimes. A bunch of tough/ rough officers dealt with the most heinous crimes in a way that cost them their lives. It showed a concerted effort between police and judicial system to remedy the things that went wrong in the community in which they serve. It was not about wearing fancy outfit or flashing their badges, or being patted on their shoulder; it was about going out and getting the bad guys PERIOD!!
No Political correctness in it all!!
“Hill Street Blues” also had the community oriented policing philosophy in dealing with crimes in the neighborhood. I think, nowadays, the COP TV shows are somehow look phony and cosmetic by that I mean, they seem to be superficial and only provides what the audience want to see in order to increase the rating .
I do still watch “Hill Street Blues” and to be honest with you, I have learned a lot from it than any other COP shows.
Thank you
My favorite “crime/criminal justice” show is criminal minds. Not only is the show well written, but it also introduces the concept of psychology. The characters on the show are FBI agents spcializing in solving crimes by using psychological techniques.
I personally enjoy the show because the cases are always entertaining. I also like how the creators don’t just end cases when an episode ends. For instance there is a particular “unsub” that has been in a number of episodes and the agents are continually trying to figure out who it is. As I mentioned earlier, psychology plays a big role in the show and that’s something I have an interest in.
Usually I’m not a fan of crime shows simply because they are not very accurate and try too hard to make the show entertaining. However, Criminal Minds is show that I can watch and actually enjoy.
My favorite criminal justice TV show is “Orange is the New Black”. It’s a Netflix original series with the first season out (2013) and the second season to come sometime next year. The show is based on a memoir written by Piper Kerman about her experience in prison. In the show, the main character is Piper Chapman. I like this show much better than any other prison set movie or TV show because it seems more realistic. It is set in a women’s prison; a side that is rarely shown in movies or TV shows. I think it greatly covers the race relations in prison and also the relationship between the prison guards and inmates. In the prison it shows the White’s, Black’s, and Latino’s experience in prison as well as how each group interacts with each other on the inside.
My favorite criminal justice movie is “End of Watch” released in 2012. The movie is the story of two partners, Officers Taylor and Zavala, as they patrol the streets of South Central Los Angeles. Officer Taylor is filming their daily duties for a film class, so the film partially shot free hand. Working as a police officer for some time and working at a department that lost an officer just a year before I started there, I can tell you that a lot of the things in this film rang true of daily life as a police officer. For more action packed viewing, a lot higher stress/high action incidents were put into this 2 hour film than would normally occur on the streets (but that is completely normal for all cop movies). I feel like this movie captured, very closely, what it is to be a cop. It showed the relationship officers have with each other and their lives outside of the uniform. In this film, an in the line of duty death is shown and at the end of the film they show the funeral. Having attended these in the past, it is a very moving experience to be part of; whether you know the officer personally or not. This film did a good job of capturing that side of law enforcement people don’t want to discuss.
I just started watching Orange is the New Black, and I am already addicted. I’m trying not to watch it too quickly though, so I can hold out for the second season to start. I agree that the setting is one that is not normally seen; often, you only see prison from a men’s perspective so to see an idea of what a woman’s prison is to a television show is very interesting to me.
I do not enjoy watching “cop shows.” The T.V. shows and movies that depict police interaction with the public are a complete farce. What they do is they indulge the public’s appetite for quick poetic justice. My wife has worked a couple of crime scenes and has had to take some DNA samples from some suspected individuals. One of the individuals had explained to her that she would know right away that he wasn’t the suspect because his DNA would tell her that. This individual is probably drawing from his experiences in watching these cop movies and shows where crime is literally solved in an hour or less. What these shows fail to show the public are what goes on behind the scenes. There is a lot of paper work involved with crime. DNA is not instant. It can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months, depending on the severity of the crime of course. To my knowledge there is no such T.V. show or movie that depicts a true and accurate start to finish crime. Why would there be? That would never sell on T.V.
A show that I really enjoy is Castle. Now, I know that it is not extremely accurate in relation to law enforcement, I do like how it shows a woman detective, and also a woman captain. I think that it is a good show to illustrate how women can break through more into law enforcement as not only officers, but as people who can also be in charge. The occurrence of women in the Criminal Justice System is growing, and I hope that as a future Police Officer, it continues to grow. I also enjoy the show because it is a good balance of comedy and police work. It’s fun to try and guess who the murderer is.
My favorite show on TV was COPS and it still is. Even though all the episodes shown on TV are older ones but I still enjoy watching it. I just wished that they did it with more up to date policing stories and etc. As a kid I would watch it everyday to see the police putting the bad guys away and thats what made me decide that I wanted to be a police officer also! Just seeing how they chase down the bad guys and helping people out in the community is what sparked my interest!
My favorite TV show is Law and order and Orange is the New Black. Those two are my favorite show because they both have a strong lead female character role.I also love Law and Order especially the SVU (special victim Unit) because there plots in the episodes always get me emotional and make me realize that these scenarios can be you. That they give me that reminder to always be safe where ever you are at all times. Orange is the New black is my favorite because it takes place in a women prison. Which not many shows show the women prisons side. The show also has corrupt correctional officer which is a problem that is still happens in the real world and the relationship that inmates and officers have as well as how prison is segregated between the inmates themselves and how they interact.