Between November 2024 and January 2025, Ukrainian researchers from the NGO “Young Agents of Change” conducted an extensive study as part of the international project “INSIGHT” (Initiating New Standards in Journalism: Supporting (formerly) Incarcerated Groups with Honor and Tact). This project, funded by the European Union, brought together experts from Ukraine, Lithuania, Italy, and Croatia to explore how crime and justice are represented in the media, particularly focusing on public perception, journalistic practices, and challenges in ethical reporting.

As part of this initiative, researchers from each participating country conducted studies within their respective regions. In Ukraine, the NGO “Young Agents of Change” was responsible for implementing the research, ensuring that local perspectives and media landscapes were thoroughly analyzed.

Public Perception: A Mixed Landscape of Trust and Skepticism

The study surveyed 80 individuals across various demographics, including general public members, ex-prisoners, criminal justice professionals, and media representatives. The respondents were predominantly Ukrainian, with a gender distribution of 32,5% women and 67,5% men. The majority of participants (66,25%) were under 25 years old, reflecting a younger audience’s perspective on media representation.

A key finding revealed that while 45% of respondents rated crime reporting in Ukraine as neutral, objective, and transparent, a significant portion (33.75%) remained uncertain about the media’s fairness, ranking it at a mid-level score of “3” on a five-point scale. Interestingly, the highest trust levels in media were observed among former prisoners, while legal professionals exhibited a balanced mix of moderate and high ratings.

Despite the reasonable trust in media objectivity, serious concerns emerged regarding censorship, restricted access to information, and the persistence of stereotypes in crime reporting. The ongoing war in Ukraine further complicates journalists’ ability to gather objective and comprehensive data, producing additional obstacles to transparent reporting.

The Unheard Voices: Neglecting Victims and Ex-Prisoners

One of the most striking findings was the underrepresentation of crime victims and (ex-)prisoners in media narratives. An overwhelming 78% of respondents stated that crime victims’ perspectives are rarely or never considered in reports. The situation is even worse for (ex-)prisoners, with 82.5% of participants believing that their viewpoints are largely ignored. This exclusion fosters an imbalanced portrayal of crime, reinforcing negative stereotypes and inhibiting a deeper understanding of criminal justice dynamics.

The Risk of Bias: Presumed Guilt Before Trial

A significant issue uncovered was the risk of media bias influencing public perception of crime suspects before a trial. According to the survey, 35% of respondents acknowledged this risk, with media professionals being the most aware (85.71%). This highlights a crucial ethical challenge—how to report on crime without accidentally shaping public opinion against individuals before their guilt is legally established.

Journalists Speak Out: Ethical Dilemmas and Manipulations

In addition to surveys, in-depth interviews were conducted with journalists, bloggers, legal professionals, and ex-prisoners. A repeating theme was the ethical narrow line that journalists must walk — balancing transparency with responsible reporting. One journalist, Natalia, emphasized the need to protect victims and avoid stigmatization, particularly for children affected by crime. Blogger Erwin highlighted the influence of media on public opinion, stressing that factual accuracy must be prioritized over sensationalism.

Representatives from the penitentiary system raised concerns about media manipulation, noting that inaccurate reporting can distort public discrimination and even influence court proceedings. A case study presented by Dmytro, a  penitentiary officer, illustrated how premature media narratives could affect judicial outcomes and set off unnecessary public protest.

Breaking the Cycle: Reforming Crime Journalism

The study concluded with a clear message: crime journalism in Ukraine must evolve to foster a more balanced, ethical, and inclusive approach. Recommendations include:

• Prioritizing victim and ex-prisoner perspectives to create more comprehensive narratives.
• Ensuring journalists stick to ethical standards that prevent bias and sensationalism.
• Encouraging media outlets to fact-check and present crime stories with neutrality.

As Ukraine continues to reshape its media landscape, studies like this provide a roadmap for fostering a justice system that respects all voices. Ethical journalism isn’t just about reporting crimes—it’s about upholding fairness, protecting human rights, and building a society that values truth over sensationalism.

The INSIGHT project is implemented by Prirašytos rankos (Lithuania) in collaboration with Young Agents of Change (Ukraine), AY Institute (Lithuania), Scambieuropei (Italy) and Brodoto (Croatia).

The project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Lithuanian National Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.