Love a Scary Crime Show Binge on Halloween? Here’s How It May Affect You

The link between crime stories and people’s views on the justice system

Do you love watching crime shows with your partner? Are you planning to binge on them for a good Halloween scare? Do you enjoy fictional crime stories like Law & Order or CSI? Or do you prefer television programs that offer a real-life glimpse into crime, such as Forensic Files, American Justice, or the shows you find on Discovery ID?

“It may lead to a heightened fear among viewers….”

According to a study published in The Sociological Quarterly, the type of crime programming you enjoy can heavily influence the way you think about crime and how the criminal justice system works.

For those who watch fictional crime stories, violent crime is an anomaly, the bad guys usually get caught, and the wheels of justice grind quickly and fairly most of the time. However, the beliefs of people who watch real-life crime programming are quite different. These viewers are more likely to think that crime is rampant and they could very well become victims themselves. In addition, people who watch these shows have far less faith in the justice system and its ability to keep criminals off the street.

This, says researcher Lisa Kort-Butler, is because of the storytelling techniques used in television crime documentaries. These shows, unlike fictional crime dramas, rely on interviews with victims and their families — as well as detailed information about criminals’ history and ability to evade arrest. As a result, viewers feel like they, too, can be the victims of crime and the police have little power to protect them.

“This narrative structure is nothing new to storytelling about crime, but it may lead to a heightened fear among viewers because it seems like such a crime could happen to them or their loved ones,” said Kort-Butler. “Because the criminal is often portrayed as one step ahead of the law, viewers may be less confident in the authorities’ ability to stop the crime before it’s too late.”

“Viewers may be less confident….”

Also, researchers found a difference in people’s views on punishment based on whether they loved to watch fiction or nonfiction crime shows, with the fiction viewers more likely to support the harshest punishments for criminals.

“To the extent that crime dramas focus on the most serious crimes and criminals getting their just desserts, dramas may serve to reinforce viewers’ support for the death penalty,” said Kort-Butler.

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Source:

What your TV habits may say about your fear of crime. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110208093256.htm