True Crime Does Not Pay

In 2023, there were 1,219,810 violent crimes reported in the United States–and an equal number of websites, television shows, and podcasts devoted to solving crimes, including the 270,000 unsolved “cold” cases littering police station books.

A true crime obsession has head locked America with the force of a gripping police procedural. We’re a nation preoccupied with recounting grisly murders over lunch, binge-watching serial killer documentaries with popcorn in hand, and consuming every detail of an ongoing investigation like it’s the next blockbuster reality TV show.

Perhaps the greatest mystery about true crime is the exact number of true crime and detective programs currently available.

Attempting to answer this question is like trying to solve a crime with only a blurry fingerprint, a suspiciously clean crime scene, and a detective who insists on narrating every step with dramatic pauses. The moment one starts counting shows, a new spin-off emerges—True Crime: The Inside Story of Inside Stories or Detective Chronicles: The Detectives Who Chronicle Chronicles. The genres multiply like suspects in a crime novel, each with its own twist, its own re-enactment, and its own overly intense soundtrack..

Moreover, there are channels dedicated entirely to crime. There are streaming services that offer a bottomless rabbit hole of unsolved mysteries, cold cases, warm cases, and cases that should have been left on a dusty shelf decades ago. Even if you manage to tally up every available show, an entire subcategory is sure to emerge—historical crime! International crime! Crime podcasts turned into television series!

Eventually, anyone attempting this exercise must accept that the very act of counting has become its own crime—unsolvable, unending, and deeply suspicious. The only reasonable conclusion? The number of true crime shows is simply “too many.”

Research consistently shows that women are more likely to be true crime consumers than men are, at a ratio of roughly 4-1. A report from the Pew Research Center found that women with lower levels of formal education are most likely to listen to true crime podcasts regularly. In addition. younger  audiences tend to be more engaged with true crime content.

The obsession with true crime has birthed a new phenomenon: the amateur sleuth. Armed with nothing but Wi-Fi, a few well-chosen apps, a suspiciously strong Reddit presence, and an unshakable confidence in their deductive reasoning (which is largely based on watching too much CSI), everyday civilians have taken it upon themselves to “help” solve crimes.

Coincidently,  there are several crime-solving apps that allow users to engage in detective work, solve mysteries, and even assist in real investigations.

• Citizen – Provides real-time crime alerts and allows users to report incidents in their area.
• CrimeDoor – Uses augmented reality to recreate crime scenes for investigative purposes.
• Websleuths – A community-driven app on which users collaborate to solve cold cases.
• MurderMysteryGames – Apps like Who Is The Killer? and Tiny Room Stories offer interactive crime-solving experiences.
• PoliceScannerApps – Allow users to listen to live police radio communications to stay informed about local incidents.

In the past, being a true crime fan meant consuming content passively—reading books, watching Dateline, nodding solemnly as Keith Morrison narrated yet another baffling crime. The digital age, however, has made everyone feel entitled to their own forensic analysis.Today, the average TikTok user considers himself a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, but instead of a magnifying glass, he wields a ring light.

Amateur sleuths zoom in on grainy surveillance footage, post elaborate theories on X (Twitter), and dissect police reports like they’re prepping for a final exam in criminology (despite having majored in marketing). True crime discussion forums now resemble a chaotic jury deliberation, with strangers arguing over circumstantial evidence while simultaneously updating their followers with their latest theory, usually based on nothing more than “vibes.” But are they actually helping? (Spoiler: no.)

The enthusiasm is commendable. Who doesn’t want justice to prevail? The problem is that amateur detectives can often hinder investigations rather than help them. Consider the following:

Misinformation Overload – When 30,000 true crime fans form a Facebook group dedicated to “solving” a crime, incorrect details spread like wildfire. Innocent people get accused, conspiracy theories emerge, and suddenly, half the country believes in a secret underground crime syndicate run by suburban soccer moms.

Interference with Actual Law Enforcement – Authorities have to spend valuable time debunking nonsense, responding to viral theories, and assuring the public that, no, the guy looking nervous in the background of a press conference is not the killer—he’s just socially awkward.

Public Harassment of Suspects – Online sleuths, often armed with nothing but grainy TikTok footage, will harass individuals they think might be guilty. Names are leaked, homes are invaded, and reputations are destroyed—all based on hunches and poorly cropped screenshots.

Obsession Over Cold Cases – While Ignoring Active Ones – The irony is that while online detectives obsess over decades-old cases (we see you, JonBenét Ramsey theorists), there are countless unresolved crimes happening right now that actually need attention. Imagine if this cold-case energy was redirected toward assisting victim advocacy groups instead of debating DNA evidence over brunch?

At the end of the day, true crime is an entertainment industry. Despite the noble intentions of amateur detectives, most real investigations require years of professional training, legal expertise, and actual fieldwork—none of which can be replaced by frantically googling “how to analyze forensic evidence” at 2 AM.

And for heaven’s sake, leave the poor guy in the background of the press conference. He probably just didn’t sleep well last night.

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