Crime in the afternoon: Murder and robbery on soap operas

This study of soap opera content focused on the occurrence of murder and robbery, comparing the depiction of suspects and victims in daytime serials with that image derived from official records. Information about crime in soap operas was obtained both from interviews with viewers and by coding Soap Opera Digests from 1977 through 1984. Females and whites are represented more often as murder and robbery suspects and victims than would be expected from official records.