ETHICS OF TRUE CRIME

events of gruesome crimes in history, how can this be a sound form of entertainment for all parties that were involved?

“It is exploiting people’s trauma for profit, [especially the producers of the media]. But there is also an argument to be made that families who get interviewed from that who have been friends of victims or victims themselves of these terrible acts, they can get paid for it. [If they are] somehow able to win off of their trauma, [thats good because they are] taking their trauma and using it to their own benefit. [...] It’s this complicated thing– I don’t think the producers are ethical, because they’re doing it to make money, but victims, I think are completely ethical,” Garcia said.

The integrity of the art form should also be valued since it is an expression or dramatization of true events. Though, it should not be an excuse to true crime media that is simply exploitative and appears to idolize the criminals invloved. Dahmer, which premired on Netflix this past year, was a clear dramatic reenactment of the serial killer’s life, though many find its interpretation of the story to be disturbing.

“I’m someone who [believes in the] First Amendment, I believe in free speech. I believe in art. I believe the Jeffrey Dahmer [series] may have been in poor taste, [but] I feel like it should have been made because that’s what somebody’s art told to make,” Spears said. “But I just I can’t say the ethics [about it] because I feel like it just depends. It’s just there’s so many like variables. How do you decide when you’re trying to make art?”

True crime ethics are complex, finding a way to both highlight the victims and maintain the creative vision of reenactors is difficult to navigate.

“Especially with these overly fictionalized versions of [crimes], these terrible people are kind of painted as the protagonist. But also I support storytellers who want to you know, push the envelope and possibly make a killer their protagonist,” Garcia said.

Ethics are subjective, and ultimately it comes down to the viewer to decide whether or not they want to engage in true crime media.Whether or not what you might believe personally, people will continue to create and consume true crime.

“How can you say it’s unethical when one person says its okay and other people don’t? I don’t know because it depends on who the criminal is, who the victims are and how they feel about it. It’s case by case basis,” Spears said.

Most people come to the conclusion that true crime media cannot be made ethically in a way that highlights victims without retraumatizing them or their families. Though maybe with some changes, the viewer, show crew and the families involved in the crimes can have some peace and still be able to produce true crime art.

“I think that it should be more like basic reporting, because I think that’s pretty respectful and how they do it,” Garcia said. “[When there are too many edits to dramatizice it], it just feels very distasteful. And so I think I think the presentation of it [needs to change], because there’s just disregard for it. Like it’s just entertainment, but it definitely carries more weight to it.”