Survey finds disinterest in true crime content

AACC students said in October that they don't listen to true crime podcasts.

In an informal survey of 50 students, 31 said they don't listen, although some used to.

First-year chemistry student Alexander Stringfield said he prefers to listen to music when he works and he tries to “avoid as much distraction as possible, so having other people talking at the same time just doesn't help.”

An Edison Research survey shows AACC students are bucking a national trend. According to the study, 84% of Americans watch or listen to over 13 true crime podcasts, television shows or social media videos, and the number is rising.

Some students find the content of “True Crime” disturbing.

“I’m just not excited about it,” said second-year nursing student Samantha Stewart. “It’s not really my thing. I also have a very active imagination, so to be honest it kind of drives me crazy.”

Others agree that they find true crime disturbing. “I just don’t bother to listen to it,” said first-year English student Corey Carrol. “It makes me sick sometimes.”

The students who said they like true crime gave a variety of reasons.

Sophomore nursing student Jennifer Escolera pointed to the “motivation behind the murder and why it was committed and what led to it” as the interesting parts of true crime podcasts.

Aliya Njoya, a first-year business information technology student, described the podcasts as interesting and informative.

“I can learn from it and avoid situations,” Njoya said.

Some students said they watch true crime movies because they want to learn what makes murderers tick.

First-year radiology student Lihue Bryant said she watches true crime cases because it's “really cool” to think about “the psychology behind it.”