It’s 1 A.M., and you’re having a hard time falling asleep. You’ve tried just about everything from changing positions, counting sheep, and even just aimlessly staring at the ceiling, praying for sleep, but none of that works. Eventually, you grab your phone in defeat, open whatever streaming app, and start scrolling, hoping something will catch your eye. Then something does. A true crime title about a husband killing his wife: you click play without thinking twice.

But what about true crime appeals to us so much? What is all the hype about? The concept of true crime is undeniably dark, as it involves stories that delve into real crimes, victims, the twisted minds behind them, and gruesome details. It isn’t meant to be entertaining, yet somehow it is. There’s something about the suspense, the mystery, and the probable need to understand as to why someone could do something so awful. Especially around Halloween, when the eerie and unsettling feeling is acceptable, people seem to turn to this more than ever! YLHS student, Ishan Jain (11) seconds this, stating, “There’s something about Halloween and true crime that just fit together.”

Well, according to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, true crime has fascinated people for centuries. From 16th-century crime pamphlets and modern-day books, TV shows, and podcasts, experts theorize that the appeal lies in curiosity about criminals’ motives, the human search for justice, and the thrill of solving real-life mysteries. However, not everyone agrees with this. Senior, Tina Chen (12) states, “I don’t like how media glorifies true crime because real people’s tragedies are entertaining us. It doesn’t feel right at all.” A law professor, Patricia Bryan–who co-wrote Midnight Assassin–explored how the press sensationalized the 1900 murder of an Iowa farmer. With how much coverage of the murder there was, ot raised several questions about motive, psychology, and domestic life, much like how true crime media today is. She notes that people are interested because many murders involve someone the victim knew, which prompts a reflection on their own relationships. Charlie Tuggle, a journalism professor, observed that the media still covers true crime at a sensational level to attract viewers. He notes that audiences are drawn to stories where justice is flawed and incomplete, while Bryan compares that experience to a haunted house or rollercoaster —a little adrenaline boost that allows people to explore fear and darkness without actually feeling anything themselves.

True crime offers a strange comfort to many people. It is a safe way to face fear while questioning morality and exploring the deepest, darkest corners of how gruesome human behavior can really be. It intrigues us, keeps us entertained, all while feeling comfortably uneasy. It is a reminder that evil can be real, but from the comfortable distance of our screens.