The Fascination of True Crime

Have you noticed the increased interest in true crime in the past decade? While I have always had an interest in various stories, I thought I was an anomaly and that I would be the odd one in a group to say I enjoy true crime stories, documentaries and podcasts. However, as an adult I have learned that is far from the truth! The older I get the more I realize that so many people are interested in this topic.

I have had a fascination with true crime from a young age. Granted, my interest was brought on by a horrifying true story from my hometown. I remember a murder and kidnapping in northern Idaho which was 45-miles east of Spokane, where I grew up. The story captivated the media, and everyone was talking about the most recent updates. While one child was rescued and survived, the trauma she endured was truly sad. Since then, I have had an interest in hearing victims’ stories from attempted kidnappings, people held hostage and more.

Some people find me strange for having such a fascination in this topic. However, I find a large interest in two parts of this topic. One, I love psychology and learning about the various mental health issues and childhood traumas that cause people to become murders is intriguing to me. The brain and mind are unbelievable, and the ways trauma effects people differently is mind-boggling. The second part I find interesting and important is telling the story of the victims and not forgetting them as people—not just for what happened to them.