Updated:

John Walsh’s Role in the True Crime Genre on the TV Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

The True Crime Genre

The true crime genre has seen a rise in recent years via many shows, podcasts, and the like. It is undeniable that true crime as a genre has a rich history; in fact, it has always been rather controversial. To many, the very existence of the genre that recycles crimes into entertainment is offensive. Moreover, a specific term, “crimesploitation”, has been coined to refer to TV programs that rely on shock value to draw in viewers (LaChance and Kaplan 7). Others argue that crime coverage helps bring society’s attention to the cases and, ultimately, is for the victims’ own good. One of its most famous contributors to the genre is John Walsh, mainly known for his TV show America’s Most Wanted and documentary series The Hunt with John Walsh. This essay will attempt to argue that John Walsh’s efforts in true crime are inherently rooted in empathy to the victims and therefore are beneficial to society.

The Case of Adam Walsh

To further explore this issue, it is necessary to understand John Walsh’s history with true crime. It is well known that his career had a rather tragic start; John Walsh’s own son Adam was abducted on the 27th of July, 1981 (Morgan 12). Adam’s severed head was found later, while the body remains unrecovered to this day. While the person associated with the murder was found, it took more than two years for justice to prevail. It is said that this great tragedy has spurred Walsh into action, as he realized there were no real systems in place to assist with the cases of children going missing. Walsh’s activism has led to changes in legislation, such as the implementation of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act in 2006 (Morgan 12). Walsh continued to become a famous TV personality, dedicated to shedding light on important cases and raising awareness.

Works Cited

LaChance, Daniel, and Paul Kaplan. Crimesploitation: Crime, Punishment, and Pleasure on Reality Television. Stanford University Press, 2022.

Padgett, John. “Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.” The SAGE Encyclopedia of Criminal Psychology, edited by Robert Morgan, SAGE Publications, 2019, pp. 10–13.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2023, August 30). John Walsh's Role in the True Crime Genre on the TV. https://ivypanda.com/essays/john-walshs-role-in-the-true-crime-genre-on-the-tv/

Work Cited

"John Walsh's Role in the True Crime Genre on the TV." IvyPanda, 30 Aug. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/john-walshs-role-in-the-true-crime-genre-on-the-tv/.

References

IvyPanda. (2023) 'John Walsh's Role in the True Crime Genre on the TV'. 30 August.

References

IvyPanda. 2023. "John Walsh's Role in the True Crime Genre on the TV." August 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/john-walshs-role-in-the-true-crime-genre-on-the-tv/.

1. IvyPanda. "John Walsh's Role in the True Crime Genre on the TV." August 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/john-walshs-role-in-the-true-crime-genre-on-the-tv/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "John Walsh's Role in the True Crime Genre on the TV." August 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/john-walshs-role-in-the-true-crime-genre-on-the-tv/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1