A third of Brits claim they could solve a murder after picking up tips from TV shows. A study of 2,000 adults found 18 per cent think could handle a missing person case and 17 per cent reckon they could successfully investigate fraud.
Meanwhile 13 per cent believe they have what it takes to solve cybercrimes like catfishing - thanks to crime-led TV, podcasts, and books. And 12 per cent even think they'd do a better job than the police.
Of the 84 per cent who've watched true crime documentaries, 58 per cent claim they do so out of curiosity. While 45 per cent want to learn how detectives work and 38 per cent like to watch them to see if they can solve the crime themselves.
Three in 10 (29 per cent) have binged a whole true crime series in two days or less and 26 per cent claim to love the genre. The research was commissioned by TV channel TRUE CRIME ahead of the launch of the new series of “Killers: Caught on Camera”, starting on September 5, 10pm.
A spokesperson for the channel said: “There is and always has been a fascination with true crime stories, but more in recent years due to podcasts and documentaries being so readily available. Listeners and viewers like to get involved, whether solving cases, looking for clues or discussing with others.
“It’s interesting to see from the research results how involved people get and have learnt tips for solving crimes thanks to becoming immersed in TV shows - we have a nation of detectives on our hands due to such interest. It is important for viewers to understand, however, that quality true crime content stems from diligent effort and comprehensive research.
"The involvement and expertise of police detectives, forensic specialists, psychologists, and other professionals are indispensable." The research also found after watching true crime shows viewers feel a mixture of emotions, from shocked (32 per cent) and concerned (22 per cent), to thrilled (22 per cent) and excited (13 per cent).
Consuming law related books, TV shows and podcasts, those polled have learnt how DNA is tested and stored (31 per cent) and come to recognise signs someone is trying to take advantage of them (24 per cent). Such tips and jargon are most commonly picked up from documentaries (59 per cent), fictional TV programmes (40 per cent) and films based on real life (39 per cent).
More than a third (34 per cent) often follow crime stories as they play out in the news and 23 per cent have tried to solve investigations – with 62 per cent of them claiming to have done so successfully. As a result, 42 per cent believe they’d make a good – or even great – detective, with reasons being they pay attention to detail (64 per cent), they like problem solving (60 per cent) and are inquisitive (48 per cent).
One in 10 went as far as claiming as they’ve got what it takes to decipher some of the most complex cases. Those polled via OnePoll admitted they get obsessed with true crime documentaries (13 per cent) and others often ask them for series recommendations (12 per cent).
Dr Julia Shaw, criminal psychologist and presenter of the show said: "Couch sleuthing is great, but remember those of us who make true crime documentaries whittle down months or years of police work into less than an hour. Don’t underestimate the tedious work involved in actual crime solving - all the dead ends, inconclusive evidence, paperwork, the waiting for search warrants, the cases that remain unsolved.
"In 'Killers: Caught on Camera', the audience gets to see actual video footage of serious crime, what we don’t show is how hard it was for the police, and us, to get all this footage together and make sense of it. Lean into your inner detective, the thrill of the chase, but remember that the actual job requires much more patience and stamina than it looks on TV."
