Key Takeaways
- The true crime genre has been a staple of entertainment for years, but recent documentaries and series have raised questions about the ethical cost of consuming this type of media.
- The documentary "Predators" explores the legacy of "To Catch A Predator" and the moral culpability of creatives and audiences in consuming the destruction of lives as entertainment.
- The Netflix documentary "The Perfect Neighbor" tells a powerful story about the consequences of racism and the flaws in Florida’s stand-your-ground law, but also raises questions about the ethics of watching a child’s life fall apart on-screen.
- A recent poll found that fewer Americans believe that true crime media increases empathy with crime victims or improves understanding of the criminal justice system, suggesting a shift in public perception of the genre.
Introduction to the True Crime Genre
The true crime genre has been a staple of entertainment for years, with documentaries and series like "Serial" and "Making a Murderer" captivating audiences and sparking important conversations about the criminal justice system. However, recent documentaries and series have raised questions about the ethical cost of consuming this type of media. The documentary "Predators" explores the legacy of "To Catch A Predator" and the moral culpability of creatives and audiences in consuming the destruction of lives as entertainment.
The Documentary "Predators"
The documentary "Predators" parses the legacy of the infamous "Dateline NBC" segment "To Catch A Predator," which used hidden cameras to film child predators as they visited homes where they believed young victims waited. The documentary examines the question of whether there is a cost to this kind of exploitative factual entertainment and whether the creators and audiences are morally culpable in consuming the destruction of lives as entertainment. The film features ethnographer Mark de Rond, who describes the moment when the predators are caught, saying, "What you’re seeing is effectively someone else’s life end."
The Documentary "The Perfect Neighbor"
The Netflix documentary "The Perfect Neighbor" tells a powerful story about the consequences of racism and the flaws in Florida’s stand-your-ground law. The documentary focuses on Susan Louise Lorincz, a woman who shot and killed her Black neighbor Ajike Owens in Ocala, Florida. The film uses doorcam and bodycam footage to linger on Owens’ nine-year-old son, Israel, as he descends into the vortex of trauma after his mother’s death. The documentary is a crushing portrayal of the destruction of a young man’s life, and it raises important questions about the ethics of watching a child’s life fall apart on-screen.
The Ethics of True Crime Entertainment
The documentary "The Perfect Neighbor" raises important questions about the ethics of true crime entertainment. While the documentary is undeniably important for the story it tells, it is also significant for showcasing the destruction of a young man’s life in a way that should have shaken audiences out of their true crime-induced desensitization. The fact that it arguably hasn’t done so feels like the point of no return. The documentary was made with the backing of Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, who said that the film was necessary to ensure that her daughter’s story was told and that she would not be just another dead Black person.
The Cost of Consuming True Crime Media
The cost of consuming true crime media as entertainment is a question that has been largely unaddressed. The documentary "Predators" asks whether there is a cost to consuming this type of media, and the answer is still unclear. However, recent polls suggest that public perception of the genre is shifting. A 2024 YouGov poll found that fewer Americans believe that true crime media increases empathy with crime victims or improves understanding of the criminal justice system. The poll also found that 35% of respondents were unsure whether it is ethical to consume true crime media, suggesting a growing unease about the genre.
Conclusion
The true crime genre has been a staple of entertainment for years, but recent documentaries and series have raised important questions about the ethics of consuming this type of media. The documentaries "Predators" and "The Perfect Neighbor" are powerful explorations of the consequences of racism and the flaws in the criminal justice system, but they also raise important questions about the moral culpability of creatives and audiences in consuming the destruction of lives as entertainment. As public perception of the genre continues to shift, it is essential to consider the cost of consuming true crime media and to ask whether it is ethical to watch a child’s life fall apart on-screen.