Crime dramas are extremely popular in modern times. Shows like The First 48, Cops, and LivePD dramatize crimes, their investigation by Law Enforcement, psychological angles to criminal behavior, and ultimately, the delivery of justice. Human interest in crime drama is deep-seated in our collective psychology. Some take a philosophical interest in right versus wrong, some tune in for the social aspect of crime, and some just like experiencing the thrill of cat-and-mouse games of officers catching suspects. But how accurate are crime shows? Are they realistic in terms of day-to-day crime in America? Do the creators of these shows take liberties to make their product more appealing? Here is a breakdown of the accuracy of crime shows in the US.

It’s Pretty Hit and Miss

As with many forms of entertainment, crime shows often exaggerate or change reality to captivate the audience. There are many issues cited by professionals in the world of criminal justice in the portrayal of their job activities, for example. Many series, particularly Law & Order, devote an enormous amount of time to seasoned investigators batting around theories of the perpetrators’ personality trait to build a profile him or her. Other incongruities in the real world versus life on crime TV shows include the frequency of insanity pleas as defenses, the higher level of technology available to silver-screen detectives, and, of course, all the real-world, boring paperwork that never seems to make the final edit on your favorite show.

Things They Get Right

The show “Cops” features officers out in the field dealing with real criminal situations and interacting with both victims and perpetrators. Because this is a reality show, the depictions of law enforcement are usually more accurate than dramas. According to this source, often when an arrest is made, you hear the arresting party start to read the offender their Miranda Rights, which is a legal requirement when making an arrest.

The Human Toll of Law Enforcement

Many officers, especially investigators of the most serious crimes such as murder or child abuse, can be extremely powerfully impacted by their work. While most TV dramas depict hard-nosed, always-on-their-game investigators always seemingly cool and collected, the reality is often much darker. Post-traumatic stress disorder is unfortunately common among law-enforcement officials because of the huge amount of stress that they face on the job on a daily basis, according to this source.

Do Viewers Really Want Realistic Depictions of Crime?

It’s possible that your interest in the accuracy and reality of crime dramas depends on the reason you’re watching in the first place. Entertainment value might be increased with inaccurate additions to spice up the drama, but a truthful impression of crime might be harder to get by viewers who want to gain real knowledge.

All in all, crime dramas are probably not the best place to look for real-life lessons in criminal activity and its consequences. However, they still play an important role in American society by imparting a deeper appreciation for the difficulty of law enforcement and increasing understanding of the challenges facing society in terms of crime.

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