Crime details - why are some people so obsessed?

[k2p2k2tog]

Not a TAAT but related to the James Bulger stuff.

What appeals to people in knowing the ins and outs and every minute detail of high-profile cases? I don't get the appeal at all - I like watching crime drama and take an interest in the news as much as the next person, but the interest in is in the process, working out whodunnit if it's a murder mystery on telly, seeing the process of prosecuting the person through the court if it's on telly.

I just don't understand what anyone - who has no connection whatsoever to a case - would hunt out salacious details on the internet about exactly what a perpetrator did to their victim in gruesome pages of details. What do you gain from knowing all that? It's just like those awful books detailing over 300 pages an abusive childhood going into huge detail about what was done to the author and by whom.

It's all very strange.

It’s interesting. I’m interested in it.

I don’t really get your question tbh- was that so hard for you to guess when you started wondering?

I wonder if there's a crossover between the people who search out details, write long posts on forums with "theories" and people who are overprotective and think there's a paedophile lurking around every corner? I think there probably is.

I think the exact opposite- those people are more knowledgable about crimes than most so more likely to appreciate how rare they are.

People who are terrified of paedophiles on every corner* don’t tend to know much about it.

*bad example. There actually are paedophiles on most corners

It's weird to be too interested in the minutiae of crimes.

Often those who commit sexual or violent crimes have a collection of True Crime stuff.

“Often those who commit sexual or violent crimes have a collection of True Crime stuff. “

Where on earth did you get that titbit from?

Even worse in the US where they publish actual crime scene photos.

I don't get what's hard to understand. If no one is interested in this sort of stuff then who is going to be interested in becoming police officers, or crime scene investigators. I'm not being funny...but if we don't talk about this sort of stuff then how are people to form an opinion on things. I don't think I'm making my points very clear. But I think for a lot of people it helps to understand the details so that our minds don't run away with thoughts.

I think there should be limits. How do the family of victims feel about every little detail being in the public eye?

I'm interested in several subjects other people would consider morbid, but there are ways of discussing facts and details without impacting on living relatives, or being salacious.

Where on earth did you get that titbit from?

A lecturer in criminal psychology.

Yeah right 😂