What Is True Crime?
True-Crime is defined by Wikipedia as: "...a nonfiction literary, podcast, and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people". This can include cases from decades ago, and even cases that just occurred.
What is Folklore?
Our textbook, Living Folklore, defines Folklore as informally learned, unofficial knowledge about the world, ourselves, our communities, our beliefs, our cultures, and our traditions that is expressed creatively through words, music, customs, actions, behaviors, and materials. It is also the interactive, dynamic process of creating, communicating, and performing as we share that knowledge with other people.
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The Folklore of True Crime...
True Crime describes a genre that combines the categories of news and "entertainment", while also breaking down barriers between the public and the justice system. It allows individuals to share their interests with others as well as sharing their knowledge in an unofficial, informal manner, that can lead to stories being told for generations and reflect the history of crime in our world. It creates a space for individuals to discuss criminal cases without being shamed or judged by outsiders who don't understand the difference between being interested in crime and being excited by crime. TCC represents a folk group as members all have a shared interest in true crime and these groups are formed through regular interaction, whether that is on the internet or in person. The True Crime Community gets misunderstood by outsiders, exoterically impacted, and the internet has made it possible for these people to meet others who understand them and therefore create new theories, discover new aspects of crimes, and even assist police in solving criminal cases. Whether it's a cold case from decades ago, or a recent case such as the Gabby Petito case, which was investigated by police and the TCC in real-time, True-Crime is becoming one of the most popular genres of entertainment today. ​