You're spot on. If I think about it, I wonder if some of these American shows like COPS and World's Wildest Police Chases are only turning crime into entertainment. Of course they try to discourage viewers from breaking the law, that's their official line, but their whole approach is so sensationalist that it may even end up having the opposite effect with some people. Nevertheless these shows are entertaining. People will always be interested in dramatic real life events, in Britain we still make shows that are about crime and war and other dangerous things, but somehow we usually seem to take a more balanced documentary approach about it. One program we have covers traffic police work in different parts of Britain but each episode is more like a day in the life of traffic cops, showing their work in more detail (police work isn't all action), whereas these other shows only show the exciting car chases.

I think the way the American media handles news and crime leaves a lot to be desired (not to mention its often puritannical treatment of swearing, sex and violence in entertainment), in Bowling for Columbine Michael Moore heavily criticizes the American media, saying it tries to instill fear in the public.

This is not something that concerns me too deeply, but it is a feeling I have.