Criminology Prime Time with Dr. Finley

Over the last twenty years or so, crime-based entertainment has become pervasive, finding its way into nearly every platform and outlet. It has graduated from the big screen and carved out massive niches in nearly every facet of media from podcasts to prime video—you’ll find something to scratch the itch. 

Interestingly enough, the growing affinity for criminal narratives has evolved; moving on from fictional characters like Tony Soprano and Dexter (not the cartoon), to real-world examples like John Gotti or The Zodiac. And the obsession has lingered, with recent hit tv shows and movies referencing the lives of men like Ted Bundy, Jefferey Dahmer and many more. These, often glamorized, accounts inspire a curiosity in some that demands further understanding. That’s where Barry University’s own Dr. Laura Finley comes in. 

As an expert in her field of Criminology, Dr. Finley uses her experience to help contextualize the behaviors of criminals—giving insight into why certain people…well, do what they do. In a recent episode of Very Scary People on Amazon Prime, Dr. Finley was featured for her analysis of the Sun Gym Gang, a criminal group active in Miami during the mid 90’s. The Sun Gym Gang was responsible for multiple crimes including extortion, fraud, kidnapping, attempted murder, and eventually—murder. 

Dr. Finley was interviewed over the course of three hours, with the shows production company compiling “well over 100 interviews of anyone related to the Sun Gym Gang.” Friends, family members, and other various associates provided testimonials that, along with other court and case documents, helped Dr. Finley create her analysis. The central theme being “what could possibly drive a group of seemingly normal men to commit such violent acts.”

When asked if any of the material or methods she teaches in class were covered in the episode, Dr. Finley had this to say:

“While they avoided name-dropping them directly, several of the behavioral theories and techniques I cover in my class made it into the episode. They touched on specific aspects of criminogenic culture and how individual violence can sometimes incite others to violence and even normalize it within certain environments…” 

Grateful for the opportunity, she would love to do something similar in the future–and when you see the episode, you’ll understand why we agree she should. 

If you’d like to watch Dr. Finley’s piece, you can find her feature in the 2^nd episode of Very Scary People’s season 6, available on Amazon Prime & the ID Channel:

https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/video/very-scary-people-investigation-discovery-atve-us/the-sun-gym-sadists: Barry Professor Featured on Hit TV Show

Or just take her class.