Why are People so Interested in True Crime?

True crime is a genre that is beloved by many. Often people find movies, shows, or documentaries far more interesting when they are based on a real story. It could be presumed that someone wouldn’t want to watch such horrible acts take place, but according to YouGovAmerica.com, out of the half of Americans who love true crime, one out of three will openly admit that he or she watches at least one true crime movie, show, or documentary per week, with women being more likely to watch them than men. But psychologically, why do people actually like watching true crime, and why do they find it so fascinating? Is it the crime that is
so interesting to them, or are there other aspects to this fascination?

As The Healthy Journal states, people love watching true crime because of the adrenaline rush that is experienced from watching it. They also encounter, “Good stress” which is described, “Like a roller coaster. True-crime se- ries let us feel a simulated fear that we know poses no real threat, giving us a “good stress” known as eustress.”, according to The Healthy Journal.

According to Rasmussen University, there are four reasons why people have an obsession with true crime. Reason one states that viewers have a curiosity regarding why the person responsible for the horrible act would do such a thing. This is a great explanation for someone’s addiction to true crime because it is so hard to comprehend that someone would execute such a horrific crime. An example would be Jeffrey Dahmer and cannibalism. Reason two explains that viewers want to feel the reassurance that these criminals are being held accountable for their actions. It always makes viewers feel a little safer if one of the most gruesome serial killers is in prison and not out looking for their next victim. Reason three describes that viewers like the adrenaline that triggers the fear in us, which creates a spellbinding thrill. Similar to the, “Good stress,” it almost gives the viewers a good fear as well because it gives a person fear and thrill but the viewer cannot actually be harmed from watching. Reason four for the obsession, states it is inner survival since viewers feel safer knowing what’s out there and can subconsciously receive a feeling of safety.

If any one of these reasons seem interesting, here are some of my top true crime shows, movies, and documentaries. The first show I recommend watching is Dateline. Dateline started in 1992, and its latest episode came out on January 6. Although this is an old series, that does not mean it is not a good one. Dateline is a true crime series that follows mostly cases of murders, and throughout the episodes, it gives background information before telling the story of the murder with a chilling charm. Each
episode also has interviews with real people who actually knew the victim, worked with him or her, or were related. Their added emotion just makes the show that much more intriguing and frightening, but in a good way. Growing up, my mom loved this show and would never miss an episode. Dateline would come on later at night, and although I was terrified of the true crimseries, for some reason I couldn’t force myself to stop watching it. I would always stay up and watch it with her even though it terrified me. There is something about Dateline that hooks viewers in with its amazing storytelling and eerie music, which enraptures viewers with intrigue and fear. Dateline is on Peacock, YouTube TV, Hulu, fuboTV, and on Fridays at 9:00 P.M. on NBC.

My next recommendation is a Netflix documentary called Girl in the Picture, which follows the story of a girl who was foundon the side of a highway in Oklahoma. When officials have trouble identifying the girl, it sparks an investigation that turns out to
be horrifying. When investigators looked further into the death of Tonya Hughes, they found that it was most definitely not an accidental death. Throughout the documentary, viewers learn that there are not only many secrets uncovered, but secret identities as well. These lead to the truth of Tonya Hughes’ devastating life, and will leave anyone wanting revenge against the man responsible. These are just two of my favorite true crime documentaries/shows, but there are many, many more out there that are amazing as well. If a person is seeking an exhilarating thrill, they should start watching true crime. Some more of my favorite true crimes are Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and American Murder: The Family Next Door, which can all be found on Netflix.