Perceptions of true crime media portrayals of offenders and victims

The popularity of true crime media has increased in recent years, raising concerns about how offenders and victims are portrayed and how these portrayals shape public attitudes toward crime, justice, and violence. Existing research suggests that true crime narratives often glamourise offenders while marginalising victims, yet little is known about how audiences themselves interpret and negotiate these representations. The present study qualitatively explored individuals’ motivations for consuming true crime media and their perceptions of offender and victim portrayals. Ten adults from the general population participated in semi-structured interviews. Using thematic analysis, three themes were generated: Glamourised Offender vs. Peripheral Victim, Understanding Offenders and their Contradictoriness, and Real Entertainment vs. Educational Truth. Participants described a consistent imbalance in which offenders were centred while victim stories were secondary or underdeveloped. Although participants valued understanding the psychological motivations underlying offenders’ behaviour, they emphasised the importance of avoiding excusatory narratives. Participants also discussed the tension between entertainment and education, voicing concern over sensationalism, misinformation, and the ethical implications of profiting from real-world harm. These findings highlight the complex ways audiences engage with true crime media and underscore the need for more ethical, victim-centred, and balanced portrayals that avoid glamourising violence or retraumatising those affected.