The popularity of true crime: Why can’t it be stopped?

It can be strangely fascinating to hear the murder of strangers while dropping off the dishwasher or walking the dog. It’s not judgment, it’s observation. The popularity of true crime media, especially among women, has become one of the most enduring entertainment trends of the past decade. Favorite podcast Crime addict, pathological, and My favourite murderlike a documentary Create a murdererand like dramatization American Murder: Gabby Pettit and Monster It’s more than just entertainment, they’re part of how we understand the world.

True crime media has evolved from niche curiosity to mainstream obsessions, especially among women. Its popularity is not just about pathological curiosity. fearcontrol, Emotional regulationand human connections.

Why Women Love True Crime (and Why It Makes Meaning)

True crime, often called horrifying comfort, presents a paradox that coincides with our living experiences. For women at statistically high risk of violent crime, true crime media can serve as a form of psychological rehearsal. Listening to others gives them a sense of control and they are more capable of recognizing warning signs and dealing with risks. This is not a fear atmosphere, it is a form of threat management.

True crime also has a strong social aspect. A community formed around true crime provides a space for women to share their stories, connect with others they feel they have seen and understand. These communities are vulnerable, justice and Identitytransforming true crime from mere entertainment into a tool for coping, connecting and collective healing.

Are there any psychological benefits to true crime?

Theories such as use and satisfaction select media that are useful for specific psychological functions (Rubin, 2002). Through this lens, true crime meets several human needs.

• Understanding and Acquisition: Humans are storytelling creatures wired to seek patterns, motivations and closures. Crime stories provide puzzles with emotional stakes.
• Safety: Oddly, learning about crime makes people feel safer. Analyzing what went wrong will help us feel more informed and more prepared.
• Emotional regulationTrue crime brings strong feelings like fear, angerand helps to have anger in the structured arc and manage those emotions productively.
• Social connection: Listeners often describe podcast hosts as friends. These subsocial relationships may be one-sided, but they still meet social needs and promote trust.

Modern formats allow for deeper engagement

Format is just as important as the story. Modern true crime media offerings including podcasts, streaming series, and social platforms Intimate And the immersion of never being able to use old formats. These are more than just stories. They shared emotional experiences, a blend of entertainment, educationand empathy.

• Streaming Provides on-demand justice, emotional investment and film pacing. The Baby Series regulates emotions and gives you a sense of control.
• Podcasts It easily fits into a multitasking life and builds intimacy with the narrator. The host’s voice in your ears creates an intimate, almost peer-like experience.
• Social Media Transform passive consumers into active participants. Platforms like Reddit and Tiktok are filled with amateur detectives who analyze cold cases and form a global community of justice. Online fandom develops affiliation and shared identity.
• algorithm Create a self-reinforcement cycle by feeding user content that matches existing interests, increasing both engagement and emotional dependence.

True crime at a turning point: charm or fatigue?

True crime hasn’t disappeared, but have we reached a point of oversaturation? The ubiquitous nature of this genre raises both ethical and psychological concerns.

• Being a true crime enthusiast can have a negative impact. Cognitive bias and repeated exposure to emotionally intense narratives can lead to the belief that the world is more dangerous than it actually is (Gerbner & Gross, 1976). This can be a major factor in overestimating personal risk, a reduced trust in strangers and institutions, and chronic vitality or anxiety. Even in the face of a decline in crime rates, true criminal content can generate awareness of the increased threat. Algorithm-driven platforms widen this gap and enhance fear-based narratives.
• With true crime content flooding with podcasts, streaming platforms and social media feeds, the line between storytelling and sensationalism is dangerously blurry. Much of the money is made from dramatized “documentaries,” which are often scripted and stylized, leaving viewers with little ability to distinguish them from fiction. These blurry lines can insensitive viewers to real atrocities and shift the focus from justice and truth to entertainment value. Respect and empathy for the victim can be lost in the pursuit of a story.
• Criminal glory, in part, has been promoted to almost celebrity status, and can undermine the general understanding of crime as harmful; traumaPerpetuating harmful myths, bias Ju-search, and reduce the possibility of fair justice.
• Mass consumption of true crime promotes a culture of online speculation. Social media platforms can become echo chambers for “armchair detectives” and can inadvertently disrupt legal procedures, including potential ju-seekers, or bias public opinion. These ripple effects highlight how media narratives are shaped into real-world outcomes.

An ethical approach to true crime

As true crime continues to gain popularity, there is growing voice for a more ethical approach that prioritizes victims, justice, and systematic accountability. This shift will help raise audience awareness, promote empathy for victims, and promote more responsible consumption of true criminal content. Call it true crime literacy.

The Tiktok and Reddit communities are Dahmer – Monster: The Story of Jeffrey Dahmer To take advantage of the victim’s trauma without the consent of their family. Podcasts such as Crime addict and My favourite murder Faced with community backlash, we lost listeners, lost more respectful and accurate programs. A 2024 YouGov poll found that over 60% of US adults believe that creators should obtain consent from victims and their families before creating content.

Still, sensationalism remains a powerful force. Emotionally charged content is more memorable, more clickable, and often obscures more balanced research reports. Additionally, the content of true crime tends to surge in times of political or social instability. In the late 1960s, criminal programming surged as Americans understood the growing violence and uncertainty and tried to turn crime narratives into a lens for understanding social disruption (Dominick, 1973). Perhaps it’s not surprising that it’s becoming more popular now. True crime follows a encouraging arc of narratives with promises of justice and resolution. When real-world systems feel confused or unjustified, these stories offer a sense of closure, moral clarity, control, and a bit of escapism.

More than sensationalism?

True crime reflects the way people seek meaning, manage their fears and build emotions Resilience. It can meet your safety, understanding and belonging needs. But like any media, it’s worth pausing to ask. Is our true crime consumption making us feel good or is it making the world mean?