Reasons You Should be Listening to Criminal Podcasts

If there's been one genre that has been taking off in the world of podcasts, it's the true crime genre. Major podcasts have started to talk about gangsters, murderers, and serial killers throughout the world and people can't get enough of it.

With epic true crime podcasts like Criminal, Someone Knows Something, and Missing, it's easy to come up with reasons why you should be listening to criminal podcasts at least once a week. Here are some good excuses—erm, reasons—to tune into a new podcast about murder and mayhem.

They have great stories to tell—all of which are 100 percent true.

A good criminal podcast will often unravel fascinating stories that would rival most thrillers you'd see in theaters. There are plot twists, turns, interesting looks into the private lives of others, and of course, tales that would make careers in law enforcement seem chock-full of chaos.

The coolest thing about listening to criminal podcasts for the stories is realizing they're all true stories. So, you might get a cool story without having to read any books about serial killers—and that's some serious perks for tired eyes.

If you've wanted to become a law enforcement officer or a detective, listening to criminal podcasts may give you a better idea of what you should expect. Detective, for example, is a podcast narrated by a former detective about the insane life he lived in law enforcement.

Listening to Detective will make everyone realize that law enforcement is one of those careers that's not for the faint of heart. If you're debating a criminal justice degree in your future, this is a good way to figure out if being a detective is really for you. It's also probably relatable if you're in law enforcement, too, but we wouldn't know.

True crime can make you think—or even make a difference.

This reason goes beyond just listening to criminal podcasts and extends to the genre of true crime in every form. One of the facts about the TV show, Unsolved Mysteries, is that its true crime segment actually sparked people to call in and help solve dozens of disappearances.

Given enough details and a little luck, listening to true crime podcasts can help some lucky person solve a mystery. Could it be you? The only way to make a difference is to find out yourself by listening.

Listening to criminal podcasts may involve lots of blood, gore, and death, but that doesn't mean it also can't have a lighthearted side, too. Fans of dark humor might find that certain podcasts will have them in stitches—and not the hospital kind, either.

For example, And That's Why We Drink is a true crime podcast that's known for talking about seriously heinous crimes with a dash of humor. They'll have you laughing, loving their chemistry, and enjoying boxed wine with them.

True crime is also very educational.

Another perk you get to enjoy by listening to criminal podcasts is an educational insight. Podcasts focused on true crime can teach you fascinating facts about how police track down killers, forensic technology, the criminal justice system, and more.

Even if you're passively listening, you'll find yourself picking up on some really interesting knowledge along the way. The best part about it? You never know what you'll learn!

Ever wonder what makes someone a killer? You're not alone in that, and that curiosity is what drives the creation of many podcasts. The Mind of a Murderer is a great example of a true crime podcast that can give you a great look into the mind of a killer.

At first glance, this may not seem like useful knowledge, but if you ever find yourself in a life-or-death situation, what you learn from your podcast listening time may be your saving grace.

The dirt you hear while listening to criminal podcasts is also way juicier than hearing what Kim Kardashian is doing.

No offense, Kim, but you definitely can't stir up more drama than serial killers or mafiosos can. In most true crime podcasts, you get to hear the sordid deals that you'd never read in the pages of tabloids

Not even Keeping Up with the Kardashians has as much drama as true crime. Fans who love a taste of juicy gossip will find a typical true crime podcast to be incredibly entertaining, if only because you get to talk about it later with likeminded friends.

There have been many, many people who have had close scrapes with serial killers—most of whom would never have guessed that the person sitting next to them killed someone. (This was actually the basis of several books about serial killers on store shelves today, FYI.)

What if you had a way to figure out who's most likely to be a serial killer in your neighborhood? Listening to criminal podcasts like Real Crime Profile can teach you how to spot a potential criminal in your midst using the same techniques law enforcement does.

There's also an off-chance that it may help you get creative.

If you're a writer, an artist, or an actor, then you already know how hard it can be to get the inspiration you need to make something great. Whether it's an amazing page-turner novel or a really interesting superhero comic series, you often need some ideas to juggle around.

Believe it or not, listening to criminal podcasts can give you a lot of material to base your creative works on. So, if you need a little inspiration, go ahead and listen to podcasts about strange disappearances to help you create a new story for your own project. Chances are, it'll work.

Few podcast genres have as many fascinating stories, interesting characters, and great writing like the genre of true crime. There's literally a podcast for every taste—even for sports fans.

Every kind of crime podcast out there has something awesome to offer you, but you won't be able to know that until you listen to them. So, give them a shot already!