Content analyses of crime stories reveal what Surette (2011) terms the law of ______,because the nature of crime,criminals,and victims portrayed in the media is generally the complete opposite of the pattern shown through official crime statistics or victim surveys.

A) opposites
B) opposites attract
C) evil
D) media perception

The law of opposites describes the discrepancy between media portrayals of crime, criminals, and victims versus the reality shown by official statistics and victim surveys. The media tends to focus on sensational, violent, and unusual crimes committed by strangers, while official statistics and victim surveys show that most crime is non-violent, committed by acquaintances, and goes unreported.