Criminologists link Dexter to methods used by convicted killers
Criminologists warn that *Dexter* may act as a “how-to script” for some would-be killers, after several convicted murderers were found to have drawn inspiration from the show. Recent British cases include a teenager who stabbed a girl at school, Benjamin Day, who murdered Maria Saceanu in a plastic-lined room, and James Desborough, convicted of murdering and dismembering two men.
The series follows Dexter Morgan, a police blood-splatter analyst who secretly kills people he believes have escaped justice, following a strict code and methods designed to avoid detection. Behavioural criminologist Alex Iszatt says the show can offer offenders a ready-made identity, rituals and methods; the article also names five other convicted killers, from Britain, Canada, the US and Norway, as having been inspired by Dexter since 2009.
In short
- Criminologists say Dexter may provide a model for some killers.
- Three recent British cases have been linked to the show.
- The series depicts a killer with a code and methodical routines.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The concern is that a detailed, popular drama can give a vulnerable person a ready-made identity, rituals and practical ideas, and reported cases in which convicted killers cited Dexter make that risk more than purely hypothetical. Even if the show does not cause violence in most viewers, its methods and framing of vigilantism could influence a small number already inclined towards harm.
The case against
A few offenders’ claims of inspiration do not establish that the series caused their crimes or that viewers are more likely to become violent; those who commit murder may invoke fiction to explain or dramatise choices rooted in other circumstances. Treating the programme as a how-to script risks overstating its influence and shifting attention from individual responsibility and the wider factors behind violence.
Explained simply
Dexter is a crime drama about Dexter Morgan, a police worker who secretly murders people he believes have escaped punishment. The story focuses on his private rules and the steps he takes to conceal his crimes.
Criminologists study crime and criminal behaviour. Some have examined cases in which convicted killers said the series influenced them, and whether its portrayal of a killer’s identity and routines may have shaped their actions.
The cases raise questions about how fictional crime stories may affect some viewers. The series is fictional, and the reported examples do not show that watching it causes people to commit crimes.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “The most dangerous crime drama on TV? Wannabe killer is now linked to hit show Dexter after at least SEVEN convicted murderers are influenced by the ‘how-to script’ of gruesome on-screen slayings, warns criminologist”.