Abstract
True crime media has proliferated in recent years, making it one of
the most viewed content available. The fascination with real-life
criminal cases, often portrayed through dramatisations has given
rise to what is commonly referred to as the “true crime obsession”.
Previous research has identified differences in perceptions of crime,
levels of anxiety and fear, and trust in the Criminal Justice System
(CJS) based on engagement with true crime content – podcasts and
TV shows (Bullock & Zloteanu, 2024). However, observational and
naturalistic research does not permit causal claims to be made.
Namely, does engaging with true crime content cause such
perceptions or do innate differences dictate engagement with such
content? An experimental manipulation of the effect of interest
using a randomized approach is needed to establish such effects. A
random sample of the population (N = 650) was divided into four
conditions: true crime podcasts, neutral podcast, true crime TV
show, neutral TV show; effects are controlled for attitude towards
the CJS, fear of crime (FOC), and anxiety (GAD-7). Using a
Bayesian estimation and testing framework, the research measures
the causal (amplificatory) nature of engagement with true crime
content on anxiety, fear, and distrust of the CJS. The results of this
research program aim to inform policy, especially broadcast media,
and the general public on the potential negative effects of
consuming such content. This is aimed to provide theoretical and
practical insight into establishing guidelines and approaches to
mitigate the potential harm to the public.
the most viewed content available. The fascination with real-life
criminal cases, often portrayed through dramatisations has given
rise to what is commonly referred to as the “true crime obsession”.
Previous research has identified differences in perceptions of crime,
levels of anxiety and fear, and trust in the Criminal Justice System
(CJS) based on engagement with true crime content – podcasts and
TV shows (Bullock & Zloteanu, 2024). However, observational and
naturalistic research does not permit causal claims to be made.
Namely, does engaging with true crime content cause such
perceptions or do innate differences dictate engagement with such
content? An experimental manipulation of the effect of interest
using a randomized approach is needed to establish such effects. A
random sample of the population (N = 650) was divided into four
conditions: true crime podcasts, neutral podcast, true crime TV
show, neutral TV show; effects are controlled for attitude towards
the CJS, fear of crime (FOC), and anxiety (GAD-7). Using a
Bayesian estimation and testing framework, the research measures
the causal (amplificatory) nature of engagement with true crime
content on anxiety, fear, and distrust of the CJS. The results of this
research program aim to inform policy, especially broadcast media,
and the general public on the potential negative effects of
consuming such content. This is aimed to provide theoretical and
practical insight into establishing guidelines and approaches to
mitigate the potential harm to the public.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 5 Sept 2025 |
| Event | 25th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology (EUROCRIM2025) - Τhe American College of Greece, Athens, Greece Duration: 3 Sept 2025 → 6 Sept 2025 https://eurocrim2025.com/ |
Conference
| Conference | 25th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology (EUROCRIM2025) |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Greece |
| City | Athens |
| Period | 3/09/25 → 6/09/25 |
| Internet address |