Common Sense Media Review
By Robert Yaniz Jr.
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
True crime stories from unexpected perspectives.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Listen
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
CRIMINAL seeks to do more than just entertain with true crime tales. Host Phoebe Judge explores unexpected perspectives on justice, law, and moral complexity. The show subverts expectations by humanizing a wide variety of individuals, from ministers who secretly help victimized women seek safe abortions to the protestors whose moments of defiance go viral.
Is It Any Good?
This true-crime podcast's humanistic approach to even the most horrific events not only feels fresh, but may also change listeners' perspectives. Rather than focusing solely on the criminal and/or the victim, Criminal's big-picture focus acknowledges those caught in the crossfire. One episode, for example, explores the anxiety of a young child whose drug-dealing father has become a fugitive from the law. The show operates at such a high storytelling level that it's easy to get absorbed in both the compelling narratives and Judge's insightful interviews, all delivered through consistently polished production that makes even difficult subject matter an engaging listen.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Criminal portrays all individuals who have been involved in a crime, including criminals, victims, and those around them. Does the show do a good job of humanizing them? If so, how might this perspective be valuable?
Discuss host Phoebe Judge's journalistic skills. Do they help distinguish the show from other true crime podcasts? When conducting interviews, how does she make an effort to explore all sides of the story?
What is the appeal of true crime stories? What can they teach us about society?
Podcast Details
- Release date : January 29, 2014
- Genre : News
- Run time : 35 minutes
- Website : https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/criminal
- Host : Phoebe Judge
- Production Company and Network : Vox Media Podcast Network
- Pricing structure : Free
- Last updated : September 16, 2025
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