White Collar Crime

4 Pages 942 Words

Chained Factory Fire Exits
Media Coverage of Corporate Crime That Killed 25 Workers
John P. Wright, Francis T. Cullen, and Michael B. Blankenship




The “Chained Factory Fire Exits” chapter is an excellent example of how news media frequently focuses on street crimes and therefore neglects to report coverage in other areas. In this day and age, the media does not seem to be interested in what news really happens, but rather in what news sells. This incident in particular proves that media coverage is influenced by the “hottest” and most interesting topics. As time moves on after an incident, coverage decreases as other more current events catch the public’s attention.
In my opinion it is quite disturbing how a catastrophic event which took the lives of twenty-five people and injured fifty-six could be so quickly forgotten, misreported, and even unreported. The Imperial Food Products, Inc. fire probably receives more attention now in White Collar Crime classes, as well as in other Sociology and History classes, than it did at the time of the occurrence. It has been over a decade and we seem to be more interested in what really happened now, than at the time of the accident.
If you mentioned the name Emmett Roe or even Imperial Food Products to your parents, grandparents, or even to your friends most would probably look back at you with a blank stare. That is a sign of great media coverage right? However, mention the incident to a Sociology Major or Minor and you are sure to get a response.
Emmett Roe, however, was not the only person at fault for the loss of lives and injuries at the Imperial Food Products, Inc. plant in Hamlet, North Carolina on September 3, 1991. Although Roe authorized the padlocking of the factory doors because of his suspicion of chicken part theft by his employees, there are other factors that have to be taken into account that contributed to the catastrophe. The building whi...