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Summary Of Why We Are Drawn To True Crime Shows

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Bonn, Scott, “Why We Are Drawn to True Crime Shows.” Time, 8 Jan. 2016, https://time.com/4172673/true-crime-allure/. The article “Why We Are Drawn to True Crime Shows” is written by Scott Bonn, a criminologist professor at Drew University. His research has allowed others to delve deeper into why society is fascinated by gruesome events in true crime media. In “Drawn to True Crime,” Bonn discusses that with the rise of true crime, humans are becoming fascinated with the genre because of the emotions and ambiance they experience in their home environment. In his conclusion, he explains people experience adrenaline when watching terrible criminal events, which creates an addictive and stimulating experience for the brain (Bonn). He further explains, …show more content…

She is a history professor at Rowan University. Her research has informed the audience about modern sensationalism, which assists the audience in understanding the effects stereotypical tropes have on true crime viewers. In “True Crime: The Origins of Modern Sensationalism,” Wiltenburg discusses the roots of sensationalism in true crime media to illustrate that crime storylines sway the audience’s perception of crime, causing people to dramatize the criminal activity in their lives. “An article in the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on a study finding that ‘heavy watchers’ of television news reports greatly overestimated the incidence of crime in their communities, as compared with ‘light watchers’” (Wiltenburg 1). Then, Wiltenburg discusses that religion and politics have shaped society’s viewpoints of punishment in the past. As true crime media has become mainstream, the influences of sensationalist media became ambiguous. (Wiltenburg). Wiltenburg’s purpose in this article is to inform readers of the effects sensationalist media has on an audience. This article provides background information for the uprising in true crime media and true crime’s plotlines influence on an

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‘Simplification’ (Bloustein and Israel 2009) was also present as the report was easy for readers to understand due to the chronological order of events. It was apparent who the victim and the portrayer of the crime were. The news value of ‘negativity and titillation’ (Bloustein and Israel 2009) was apparent within the violent nature of the crime. Evan’s crime news value of ‘context’ (2017) was evident as the death of Phil Walsh was a well-known event which captured the attention of the country. Consequently, the report was likely to receive the attention of readers who sought the information of the crime.

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Zachary Shemtob, a teacher of criminal justice at Central Connecticut State University, and David Lat, a former federal prosecutor, in their essay “Executions Should Be Televised” (2011), discourse the issue whether the criminal execution process should be videotaped and televised or to be privately disclosed among the press and selected witnesses, in which both Shemtob and Lat affirm to broadcasting. Shemtob and Lat construct their claim by defining the transparency that arises when the public is notified of executions through the media and analysing concerns that may arise from misguided illustrations of broadcasting executions, such as relating them to a pet euthanization or obtaining a sympathetic feeling towards the executed felon who

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These fictionalized accounts of a criminal investigation are provided to the public with the intention of gaining financial rewards through the mass production and consumption of entertainment. In appealing to this entertainment factor a myriad of components are considered in the development of crime films and literature. In Old City Hall, Rotenberg’s inclusion of multiple perspectives allows the readers to follow the thought process of the different components that make up the criminal justice system, including legal counsel, police officers, judges, forensic analysists and witnesses. For instance, Rotenberg mentions the techniques often used by both lawyers and detectives in carefully phrasing questions to get a response from a witness or suspect. “He knew what impressed judges and juries most was not a witness who simply read from the notebook, but one who genuinely tried to remember what it was he had seen and heard and felt” (Rotenberg, 2009, p. 247).

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Jeffrey Dahmer’s career in crime long impacted the media, and the impact of his crimes would not go unpunished, nor unnoticed. The beginning of Dahmer’s crimes

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Media plays such a huge role in the lives of the average American that it is no wonder that it would affect their views and beliefs. When watching any media story concerning a court case the newsfeed always focuses on what the victims of the crime are affected, not the facts of the case. In the book “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, it is highlighted how the media is able to change the public’s opinion by displaying facts inconsistent with the case. Stevenson speaks about hot in the early 1980’s the case coverage changed from, “everyone in the community is the victim…” to specifically about how the victim and their families are impacted.

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As previously mentioned people love consuming media, and this in turn results in crime being turned into media. Facts, victims, truth and the entire judiciary system are completely removed to create a bite-sized piece of information to be watched and consumed (pg. 61). The lines between fact and fiction slowly begin to bleed away as facts are removed to make room for details that will sell. Race is then either weaponized or used to depict victims/accused as racist stereotypes. Chan and Chunns use the case of Reena Virk as an example of this effect, her case was quickly turned into a late-night special that could be dissected and produced into spin-offs, tv shows, podcasts, etc (pg. 63).

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The films The Nine Lives of Marion Barry and Anita, contribute to history in allowing us to go back in the past to see how we as a society chose how to handle scandals, which creates certain expectation and set boundaries during the era in which they occurred. With this information, we can then redefine the differences between events in the past and compare them today. For example, Barry was elected into office countless times after countless drug scandals surfaced about his coke addition, yet Anita Hill’s reputation was destroyed after she accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Many would consider this to be great injustice, resulting in confusion. As a result, the media plays such an important role in helping us understand and in showing how some scandals are very specific to time, place, and culture which is why people react differently to them.

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The endless stream of true crime and its consequences have been disastrous for the human race. True crime as a genre has taken a grasp of the world in recent years and refused to let it go. From series such as Dahmer, to Amanda Knox, services have been pumping out true crime content as though there is no other genre. This social adoration can trace its roots back to Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood '', this groundbreaking novel was not the first of its kind, but rather was the first to gain mass attention. Using real life events with a fictionalised narrative, Truman Capote fluffed up the murder of the Clutter family to serial acclaim.

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In addition, media also repetitively displays crimes to produce sensationalism and attract more audiences. In other words, fear is effective used as an instrument to manipulate the public and to achieve personal gains. However, the side effect is a violent, unstable society. Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine begins as an investigation of gun abuses but then expands to explore the causes of customary violence in the United States. Under his camera, Moore reveals a society destabilized and paranoid by a culture of fear and distrust, providing an insightful and unprecedented explanation of the United States’ violence and shooting

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Martin Luther wasn’t always a monk until he almost got struck by lightning and then it struck him (not literally) that he needed to clean up his act. Martin wrote the 95 thesis, which did spark a little bit of a revolution in the religion aspect of it. Even more of a mess formed when Martin Luther refused to recant. With this Martin Luther made a doctrine and thought that the bible should be the the basis of religion life and available to everybody.

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The media takes these crimes that occur very sporadically and mold them into a way to make people fearful of an occurrence that is incredibly unlikely to happen again, or to them. These heightened levels of fearful stories increase the anxieties of those who watch, listen, or read about the story. The people that have now heard of these heinous crimes are now more likely to create and uproar about what needs to be done about crime. The media is eliciting a response from citizens because then it is more news stories they can cover to keep the wheel

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The movie Spotlight, recounts the true events that occurred in Boston and were brought to light back in 2002. The movie talks about the massive cover-up scheme by the catholic church to conceals the fact that several priests were abusing and had abused hundreds of kids without any action from the Archdiocese. In this paper I will summarize the movie, discuss the type of victims shown in the movie, asses the risk level of the victims, and lastly relate the different theories of victimization and how each relates to the movie. The movie follows a group of journalists working at the Boston Globe, who are known as the spotlight team.

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