Hello again everyone! As we begin to bring our discussion of true crime to a close, this week we’ll be focusing on true crime not just as entertainment, but how one can use the information gained from it to be useful to be critical of our justice system. This can especially be applied to who is putting out true crime content and sharing those stories with the public. With events in recent months that have allowed people to be more proactive on social media, there still leaves more room for discussing social issues in various ways that allow one to critique. One may not be able to solve all the problems we experience on an institutional level in a day, but by inviting more people to the table to have these serious, yet important conversations that lead to further awareness.

For some of the true-crime content creators that have grown in popularity in the past couple of years, being critical of cases solved or unsolved has become almost a norm at this point. Some viewers believe that part of the reason why more content creators are being more critical of those tasked with solving these cases is because of the ability to use an outsider’s perspective to potentially be more objective. “So many cases are not as analyzed as they should be. Stepping back to see the evidence as a whole…not being directly involved. All the evidence is given to viewers right away.”(Brenna A.) As Brenna noticed from listening to true crime media consistently, it can be easy for some viewers to feel like the case and the evidence makes so much sense when all put together. However, it should also be noted that sometimes people are not always the most level-headed when involved with some of the intense cases of true crime highlights. As calm and collected as authority figures try to be, humans are still emotional beings and it’s no surprise that some law enforcement at the scene of the crime makes a mistake.

Still, it’s important that the public be aware of these mistakes. Law enforcement, as much as we are informed they are the ones we should be trusting, is just as human and imperfect as the rest of us. “Being critical of true crime can be both good and bad. Especially on social media…you can apply it to all forms of media, but social media has a reputation, y’know? That already brings up all kinds of biases…”(Martina S.) Criticism shouldn’t just be consumed passively. The criticism of true crime content serves a purpose. It allows the audience to not just be aware of the dangers of crime, but what the response to crime is or should be. Is there enough being done for the victims of the crime? If not, what can be done to better support those who are harmed and not protected by the law like we are told would happen?

“It’s a good medium.”(Martina S.) True crime provides a narrative outline for audience members of all backgrounds to easily follow and potentially become more interested in how crime has been or is currently dealt with in our communities. While we’ve discussed that it’s important to be serious with these critiques, it doesn’t mean that humor or anecdotes shouldn’t be excluded from the discussion. “It’s a good start…like not knowing where to start. Sometimes a lot of the entertainment will spare you the gory stuff from most cases. You’re still getting a human story.”(Haley M.) It’s also important to recognize that some viewers might have difficulty learning how to be critical of larger institutions that we know make up law enforcement and the criminal justice system as a whole. However, true crime might be a good way to explore a variety of cases and listen to how content creators are able to critique and analyze actions taken to deliver justice in the end.

For example, some cases discuss how suspects were wrongfully convicted of a crime when the truth of the matter is that they had nothing to do with the victims involved. Wrongful conviction is not something recently being discovered when it comes to true crime. Unfortunately, wrongful convictions occur more often than you think. The factors that lead to the miscarriage of justice include, but are not limited to: mishandling of DNA evidence, eyewitness identification, false confessions, pressures from law enforcement to take a guilty plea for a crime not committed, and so many more. As you listen to various cases, these examples of wrongful convictions can show up frequently. For content creators and viewers alike, these stories of wrongful conviction, and hopefully eventual exonerations, can lead to more awareness of this issue and the context that surrounds why it happens so often. While each case certainly depends on the time of occurrence and the context, it can also help us lead to potential ideas of what we can do to take action in the future.

While there may not be many answers as to how exactly we can correct all the issues in our justice system, true crime opens the door for the public to be willing to engage with these stories and potentially ask the tough questions that deserve responses and solutions. Thanks for checking in with these stories, and stay tuned as we begin to wrap things up with true crime to go into a discussion about education!