Those who consume true crime media should remember that it is not entertainment and understand the “true horror” behind the stories. 

That’s according to Newstalk Courts Correspondent and Inside the Crime Host Frank Greaney, discussing comments from anti-true crime psychologist Dr Thema Bryant. 

“I would encourage you to think about why trauma is relaxing to [you],” Dr Bryant said on The Mel Robbins Podcast this week. “Harm, crime, violations, attacks – that's what’s going to sooth me?” 

Frank told Lunchtime Live the fascination with true crime is “as old as time itself”. 

“There is a real fascination with getting inside the mind of a criminal,” he said. “And the Irish are great storytellers – where you got conflict and resolution, you can see why people would be interested.” 

Despite that, Frank said people shoud be more aware of the context surrounding true crime stories. 

“Some people view these things as a form of entertainment,” he said. “Viewers and listeners don’t see the victims and the survivors behind these crimes and the true horror of it all.” 

2GEW18P London, UK. 21st August 2021. UK supporters of the Netflix Making A Murderer Campaign held a rally in Parliament Square fighting for justice for Steven Avery and Brendan Dassy who they say were framed and wrongly convicted for murder committed in 2006. The case of the two men was a Netflix true crime sensation made in 2015. Peter Marshall/Alamy Live News

He said it makes sense that people are interested in true crime as it reminds us “of our humanity and how precious it is” - but we should still be mindful of the full story. 

“All too often, everyone remembers the killer, and no one remembers the victim,” he said. 

“Perhaps if they did remember, they wouldn’t find it so relaxing.” 

'I had to pull back'

Newstalk Tech Correspondent Jess Kelly agreed with Frank, admitting she has chosen to “pull back” from consuming too much true crime media. 

“I think I overdid on the grimness, but I'm fascinated by it,” she told Lunchtime Live. 

“You're walking around the supermarket getting yourself some hummus and crackers, and you’re listening to absolutely horrific stuff, and you're doing it as a form of entertainment.” 

Jess disagreed with comments from Dr Bryant that true crime fans consume it to soothe previous trauma. 

“I don’t like true crime because I had a tough childhood,” she said. “But I'm obsessed with knowing the stuff that certain people do, how they do it, how they think they’re going to get away with it." 

'Moral extremes'

Psychiatry Professor Brendan Kelly said it is absolutely normal to consume true crime – but we often need more perspective on the story. 

“We are curious about moral extremes, so it takes a conscious effort to remember those victims,” he said. 

“There is this evolutionary need to learn about predators and understand them... it is difficult to achieve the balance because of this human curiosity but it is important.” 

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