Crime Scene Tape often used by criminal justice professionals.
Traumatic True Crime Today
Imagine scrolling through your social media feed and viewing a heinous crime reported by a news outlet. A young girl has gone missing, and her family has explained to the media she was wearing a red blouse with black slacks and black high heels. She was on her way home from her boyfriend’s house. Information similar to this example is all too common on various social media platforms. People view this information online, and they become amaetur internet sleuths (True-Crime Fanatics on the Hunt: Inside the World of Amateur Detectives, 2021). They have no formal training in criminal justice, forensics, or legal studies (True-Crime Fanatics on the Hunt: Inside the World of Amateur Detectives, 2021). This is problematic because it interferes with ongoing investigations of investigative departments conducted by trained qualified professionals (Cox, 2023). The solution to this social epidemic is regulating the information released to the public about the investigations. The way people have consumed the news has switched with the ever evolving technology; Sue Black, author, professor, forensic anthropologist, anatomist, and other esteemed titles, discusses this in great detail in her book All that remains:
Sometimes we forget that a simpler life has its benefits. So many of the news stories we follow are in truth of limited interest, and have no direct impact on our daily lives, yet we still want to know every last detail. We absorb most of it passively, even disproportionately, and I do fear that information fatigue is in danger of leaving us with the sense that the world holds little that can surprise us. (Black, 2018, p. 227)
One solution to this problem is to change the way true crime stories are told (Alford, 2021). According to an article by Emily Alford, women historians and investigative journalists are telling these stories with more of an ethical approach (p. 1). As reported by Emily Alford, a new wave of mostly women podcasters are hoping to appeal to a massive true crime audience with stories that are about wider, systemic issues (p. 1). These include Connie Walker’s Stolen: the Search for Jermain, which examines the sweeping, systemic abuses of indigenous women, and Emma Courtland’s Crime Show, where she takes a deep dive into the systems allowing for, rather than the motives of, a single crime in each episode (p. 1).
When viewing trailers of such content online, the headline is as follows. A young girl went missing on January 1, 2020. She was coming home after spending New Years with her boyfriend. Authorities say he was the last person to see her alive. Sources say, “they were fighting the night before. She wanted commitment, and he wanted to let go”. What happened to her? On this episode of Marvelous Malicious Murder, your host will dive deep into the unsolved cold case. This is an example of content available on various media platforms; true crime content is often presented in a way that is detrimental to the victim and their family. Content creators partake in sensational journalism to obtain more recognition and viewers in order to gain popularity.
Another solution to this epidemic is putting the victim and their family first. Often, these podcast episodes are told to grab people's attention. This particular episode's headline shows how this “case” is full of drama, romance, and unanswered questions. Generally, such as the case with this episode, the podcast host is there to tell a story and to engage the audience. The victim and her family are forgotten (Porterfield, 2023, January 12).. One example of this is the Netflix series: Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (p. 1). Victims' families were revictimized by serial murders of famed serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer (p. 1). The creator of the series did not ask the victim's families for permission to record this show (p. 1). They did not take into consideration all of the harm and heartbreak this would cause (p. 1). According to an article by GamesRadar, five true crime documentaries (Milici, 2022) that put the victim first include: Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996), At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal (2019),Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008), For Heaven’s Sake (2021). When the podcast host of Marvelous Malicious Murder released the episode of the girl gone missing, it opened old wounds tearing a gash in the heart of family and friends forever wondering what really happened on the frozen final night of 2019. This podcast is an excellent example of traumatic true crime’s treacherous effect on today’s population.
Additionally, informing consumers of dangers of true crime is a resolution to this epidemic. It is vital to teach “true crime junkies” when and how to take a break.“True crime appeals to us because we get a glimpse into the mind of a real person who has committed a heinous act” (Is Your Love of True Crime Impacting Your Mental Health?, 2021). The article explains sometimes it is best to take a break from engrossing true crime (p. 1). Experts confirm that there are many activities to aid in mental health (p. 1). Activities include but are not limited to: call a friend, watch stand up comedy special: Son of Patricia by the world famous comedian, author, and podcast host Trevor Noah instead of how Jeffery Dahmer acquired his victims. Listen to music by Taylor Swift such as Midnights. Customarily, it is necessary to take a break from true crime due to changes in mental health. For example, feeling depressed and anxious.
Another solution to the psychological problems that develop as a result of true crime is meditation. As described by the Cleveland Clinic, “Meditation is a practice that involves focusing or clearing your mind using a combination of mental and physical techniques” (Meditation: What It Is, Benefits & Types, 2022). Meditation reduces feelings of depression and anxiety (p. 1). Additionally, exercise is an excellent alternative to absorbing true crime such as aerobic exercise (Aerobic Exercise: What It Is, Benefits & Examples, 2023). This type of exercise utilizes the mass muscle groups, and it is often repetitive and rhythmic (p. 1). Aerobic exercise decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression (p. 1). It also aids the body in relaxation (Aerobic Exercise: Top 10 Reasons to Get Physical, n.d.). Hobbies such as this are vital for mental and physical fitness. This information is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical advice.
Picture of Murder Pamphlet from 1812
Progress Past and Present
True crime has always provided the talk of controversy. Many people enjoy consuming true crime and, they feel the drama and and the daunting unknowns provide a deep enrichment to their lives. So much so that many who call themselves, “true crime fanatics” often input themselves into ongoing investigations. They utilize the information available to them through social media and the internet as a whole to help them better put the pieces together of puzzling mysteries. Kurt Vonnegut, author of “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” believed that progress is not always progress, for instance, technology assisting “true crime fanatics” interfering in ongoing investigations.
With the development of apps such as Tik Tok, people are able to gather and share information almost instantly with an algorithm that is specific to them and their niches and interests. An example of this is, a podcast episode of Marvelous Malicious Murder is being advertised on the app to attract more “true crime fanatics.” The episode is advertised as follows, a young girl went missing on January 1, 2020. She was coming home after spending New Years with her boyfriend. Authorities say he was the last person to see her alive. Sources say, “they were fighting the night before. She wanted commitment, and he wanted to let go.” What happened to her? On this episode of Marvelous Malicious Murder, your host will dive deep into the unsolved cold case.
This video goes viral. The commets vary on the spectrum, but each response further promotes this type of content. [@makemuder&mayhem45 wrote: “How intriguing! Can't wait for the next episode!! #marvelousmaliciousmuder.] [@traumatictruecrime24wrote: [How sad. :( Praying for the victim and her family.] [@supersleuthsue wrote: “I am on the case providing updates from my ‘X’ account same handle as tiktok #currentevents #truecrime. [@guiltyascharged16 wrote: I did it. I kidnapped her after school, and then I shot her into the snow.] Vonnegurt wrote a short story “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow”, of a society in which no one ever died (Vonnegut, 1999, 1). There was overcrowding and food shortages (p. 1). “Against Nature," said Em (p. 1). "Who knows what Nature's like anymore (p. 1)? Ohhhhh—I don't guess I could ever bring myself to dilute his anti-gerasone or anything like that, but, gosh, Lou, a body can't help thinking Cramps is never going to leave if somebody doesn't help him along a little (p. 1)". In the story, Gramps does not die. His descendants become frustrated because this is an unnatural occurrence. This is an example proving that progress is not always progressive as it may seem. Overtime, people have easier access to breaking news, as a result, they often use that resource for harm instead of how it should be.
These social media users [@makemurder&mayhem45], [@supersleuthsue], and [@guiltyascharged16] cause harm to society. They use the power of social media to spread harmful and problematic information. They hinder the work of trained criminal justice professionals. Kurt Vonnegut once said of such individuals, “If you can do no good, at least do no harm” (Vonnegut, 1999, 5).
This genre produces insensitive and graphic content to all of the viewers. This content is harmful to the victims and their families because the families are often disregarded. When the podcast host of Marvelous Malicious Murder released the episode of the girl gone missing, it opened old wounds tearing a gash in the heart of family and friends forever wondering what really happened on the frozen final night of 2019. This podcast is an excellent example of traumatic true crime’s treacherous effect on today’s population. Kurt Vonnegut would describe these individuals as psychopathic personalities otherwise known as PP (Bleifuss, 2003). As explained in the interview conducted by Joel Bleifuss for the magazine In These Times, the famed author describes the medical diagnosis as follows (p. 1).
“To say somebody is a PP is to make a perfectly respectable medical diagnosis, like saying he or she has appendicitis or athlete’s foot (p. 1). The classic medical text on PPs is The Mask of Sanity by Dr. Hervey Cleckley (p. 1). Read it (p. 1)! PPs are presentable, they know full well the suffering their actions may cause others, but they do not care (p. 1). They cannot care because they are nuts (p. 1). They have a screw loose” (p. 1)!
Often when consuming true crime material, the graphic content depicting violence, trauma, harm, and heartbreak can be costly to the mental health of “true crime junkies.” They don’t understand the correct way to absorb that material. Criminal justice professionals such as patrol officers have had special training on stress management to better understand and perform well in high stress situations such as responding to a domestic violence call. When discussing a lack of understanding in his well known novel developed into a major motion picture Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut remarked, “One might be led to suspect that there were all sorts of things going on in the universe which he or she did not thoroughly understand” (Vonnegut, 1999, 20).
True Crime has traumatic effects on today’s society. Additionally, informing consumers of dangers of true crime is a resolution to this epidemic. It is vital to teach “true crime junkies” when and how to take a break.“True crime appeals to us because we get a glimpse into the mind of a real person who has committed a heinous act” (Is Your Love of True Crime Impacting Your Mental Health?, 2021). However, continuously consuming this type of material is costing the mindsets of society.Vonnegut is an example of how a constant crime content mindset affects mental health in cases of depression. From the previous example,“In 1984 Vonnegut attempted suicide with a mix of alcohol and sleeping pills” (Manikowski, n.d.). He writes about it in Fates Worse than Death, a collection of autobiographical essays published in 1991” (p. 1). Therefore, his constant mindset as a result of his depression is prevalent in his writing today, such as SlaughterHouse Five and “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow.” To describe his experience, he said, “There is no order in the world around us, we must adapt ourselves to the requirements of chaos instead” (Vonnegut, 1999, 30).
References
Aerobic exercise: top 10 reasons to get physical. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved February 27, 2024, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/aerobic-exercise/art-20045541.
Aerobic exercise: What it is, benefits & examples. (2023, August 15). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved February 27, 2024, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7050-aerobic-exercise.
Alford, E. (2021, May 3). True crime podcasts: can they be fixed. Jezebel. Retrieved February 22, 2024, from https://jezebel.com/is-it-possible-to-fix-true-crime-1846821579.
Black, S. (2018). All that remains. Arcade Publishing.
Bleifuss, J. (2003, January 27). Kurt Vonnegut vs. the !*!@. In These Times. Retrieved April 15,
Cox, M. (2023, February 16). Internet sleuths cause unnecessary harm to serious investigations. The Lancer Feed. Retrieved February 26, 2024, from https://lancerfeed.press/opinions/2023/02/16/internet-sleuths-cause-unnecessary-harm-to-serious-investigations/.
Is your love of true crime impacting your mental health. (2021, July 8). Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. Retrieved February 26, 2024, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/psychological-effects-of-watching-crime-shows.
Is your love of true crime impacting your mental health. (2021, July 8). Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. Retrieved February 26, 2024, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/psychological-effects-of-watching-crime-shows.
Manikowski, A. (n.d.). The Legacy of Kurt Vonnegut. Biblio. Retrieved April 16, 2024, from https://www.biblio.com/blog/2022/11/the-legacy-of-kurt-vonnegut/.
Meditation: what it is, benefits & types. (2022, May 22). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved February 27, 2024, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17906-meditation.
Milici, L. (2022, April 4). 5 True crime documentaries that put the victims first. Games Radar. Retrieved February 22, 2024, from https://www.gamesradar.com/true-crime-documentaries-victims-first/.
(Porterfield, 2023, January 12). Forbes. Retrieved February 22, 2024, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2023/01/12/dahmer-victims-mother-blasts-netflix-series-after-actor-wins-golden-globe-latest-family-member-to-speak-out/?sh=4c443e325804.
True-crime fanatics on the hunt: inside the world of amateur detectives. (2021, March 28). The Guardian. Retrieved February 26, 2024, from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/28/give-us-a-clue-inside-the-world-of-amateur-crime-solvers-and-sleuths.
Vargas, R. A. (2022, October 29). Dahmer series creator says relatives of victims did not reply to contact efforts. The Guardian. Retrieved February 26, 2024, from https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/29/dahmer-series-creator-ryan-murphy-victims-families-friends.
Vonnegut, K. (1999). Breakfast of champions. Random House Publishing Group.
Vonnegut, K. (1999). Slapstick.
Vonnegut, K. (1999). Slaughterhouse-five.
Vonnegut, K. (2011). The Big Trip Up Yonder by Kurt Vonnegut, Science Fiction, Literary. Alan Rodgers Books LLC.
Reflection Essay Comp II
When I began composition I, I had no knowledge of academic research or academic analysis. In high school, I frequently used encyclopedia sources such as Britannica. I did not understand how to use scholarly articles to enhance my writing. I was often confused when I searched for subjects such as Jack the Ripper on Google Scholar. I struggled with analysis essays in all subjects. I encountered challenges in composition I and composition II. I also struggled with citing sources in both Modern Language Association and American Psychological Association format.
Last semester, I wrote a series of essays detailing the murders of White Chapel Victorian England by the notorious serial killer Jack the Ripper. Throughout the essays, I learned about the PEE format. PEE stands for Point Evidence Explain. It is a method of writing often used in argumentative essays. When using PEE format, I cited my sources at the end of each point. Later, when Professor Hammett gave me feedback, she explained the special way you cite your sources after each sentence. When I finally became comfortable with the Modern Language Association format, I became an English Composition II student.
At the beginning of the semester, I was confused about the formation of the American Psychological Association writing format. I didn’t understand why my sources for my essays were now called references. I didn't understand why the intext citation changed. I was also confused about the creation and purpose of blocked quotations. Later in the semester, I successfully used a blocked quotation to expand the reader's understanding of my topic.
In conclusion, I have greatly improved my understanding of literature and writing. I feel more confident in my understanding of gathering information for my essays. I also feel more comfortable using citations for both the American Psychological Association and the Modern Language Association. Because of these improvements, I perform better in all aspects of both college writing and experience.
Evil Queen is asking the magic mirror if she is the fairest in the land.