Should those who have committed crimes be allowed to benefit from their publications?

For years, people have been producing movies and writing books about some of the most heinous crimes in history. It’s standard practice that if someone writes a book about your story, you get compensated. Seems fair, right?

But what if you’re the one who COMMITTED the crime? Should you be compensated? Most people say no. Absolutely not. I say, if they are leaving behind a family who has nothing to do with their criminal activities, the proceeds should be given to them. It’s a tricky call as there are so many factors to consider. Sometimes it’s easy to rule out the family knowing. Sometimes not so much. It’s usually a safe bet that children don’t take part in their parents crimes, but when it comes to spouses, people constantly ask “how could (s)he NOT know (s)he was doing ______? They’re married/living together!!” Like that somehow means you know your spouse’s every move. If that was the case there would be fewer affairs going on because they’d be caught as soon as the thought entered their head.

As an example, let’s it’s many years ago and Bill Clinton murdered Jennifer Flowers and Monica Luinski and Hillary was a home maker who had no idea he did it until he was arrested a few years after the fact. If a book is written about Clinton’s life leading up to the murders and he is the central focus, I don’t think it’s unreasonable for the proceeds go to support his wife and child he is no longer supporting. To be fair, a percentage can go to the victim’s families, but we should remember that Hillary and Chelsea would be victims too, not just Jennifer and Monica.

It should be stipulated that none of the proceeds can go directly to Bill at anytime or indirectly via a “gift” from his wife. As another example, had Scott Peterson’s son had lived, any proceeds from books or movies should go in trust toward his care and education.

If the book focuses on the crime itself, then the victims should be the recipients of the larger portion of revenues from the book or film. Divy it up among them and, if applicable, leave a small percentage to go toward the care of uninvolved spouses and children of the criminal. There are so many cases where a parent and/or spouse commits a crime and the children’s support is gone.

I don’t think the actual criminal should get anything other then jail time and/or the death penalty if it’s warranted. Their families that are left behind have already suffered because of what their spouse/parent did and shouldn’t be continually punished. The damage that is done often scars them for life. They shouldn’t have to shoulder a financial burden along with the stigma of being the spouse/child of THAT ONE who killed….raped….robbed….etc.

Often these crimes leave far more victims then the ones who were attacked directly and people tend to forget that.