What True-Crime Podcasts Have Taught Us About Our Criminal Justice System

The other day, I discovered a true-crime podcast about true-crime podcasts. I think that means that podcasting may have jumped the shark.

Although there are some fabulous true-crime podcasts, I am always afraid that podcasting will become the Discovery’s ID Channel or HLN’s Forensic Files of the audio world.

Podcasting has so much more to offer than true-crime. Everything from factual science like Science Vs to traditional entertainment like Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! to shows for underrepresented voices like Democracy-ish.

Don’t get me wrong here. I do love the true-crime genre. My personal favorites are Criminal, Killer Queens, and The Murder Sheet. My least favorite is Crime Junkie because of its derivative proclivities.

Listeners do love these true-crime podcasts. Last week, the Dateline NBC podcast began its subscription service on Apple podcasts and has exceeded all expectations.

Despite my constant whining about the exploding number of true-crime podcasts (they procreate faster than fruit flies), true-crime podcasts have identified and highlighted crucial weaknesses and a few strengths in our justice system.

What can we learn from all these true-crime podcasts? Key themes resonate in these shows repeatedly.

The police arrest, and prosecutors convict, a disturbing number of innocent people.