The Rise and Impact of True Crime Podcasting on Criminal Justice System and Society

True crime podcasts have gained immense popularity in recent years with over 23,000 podcasts available under this genre on Podchaser. According to a study by Pew Research Center, true crime is the most common topic among top-ranked podcasts and around 34% of U.S adults who listen to podcasts regularly consume such content. The popularity of these shows can be attributed to their ability to generate public interest in criminal cases that mobilize people worldwide. True crime tales depict both gruesome details of humanity at its worst as well as the resilience and satisfaction of survivors, leading to positive change through education about criminology, psychology, and the American justice system. Emily Compagno’s podcast “The FOX True Crime Podcast w/ Emily Compagno” has received a 4.7-star rating on Apple Podcasts with over 44K followers on Instagram due to her depth of reporting, sensitivity, and ability to explain complex topics easily. The first season of the popular true crime podcast “Serial,” which focused on the murder case of Hae Min Lee, caused fans outside courthouses while trials proceeded within, resulting in a change of venue for local coverage due to the reach of media outlets covering these cases. True crime shows have also led to positive outcomes such as Adnan Syed’s release from prison and employment at Georgetown University after “Serial” covered his case. The true-crime genre’s impact is enormous, affecting court trials’ public perception in various ways that include changing defendants’ fates due to media coverage or creating amateur detectives who can investigate ongoing cases without any set of standards. While these shows offer a unique form of intimate media consumption through podcasting, they also raise concerns about the “celebrification” of famous killers and their impact on victims’ families. True crime creators have ethical codes to follow; however, there is no accepted genre-wide standard for such productions. Emily Compagno’s upcoming research aims at investigating true crime podcasting ethics while suggesting guidelines that can help focus on the “why” when choosing a case and consider its educational potential rather than turning criminals into celebrities. True crime shows have both positive and negative impacts, but their ability to educate people about criminal cases’ complexities cannot be ignored as it leads to healing for survivors and finding closure for families of victims.