Reviews

I have learned so much from obsessively listening to every single episode of Crime Analyst. It is so important to learn the right language when talking about coercive control and abuse and because of knowing the language and understanding the behaviour I feel so much more equipped to parent my 18 month old son to not only be safe, but more importantly for him to grown into a man who is safe to be around. Thank you Laura, as well as all your guests for incredible insights and huge lessons. This podcast should be required listening for everyone. Seriously.

Hi Laura, I’m just loving your Crime Analyst podcast so much. I live in Australia Queensland and am so grateful with what you have achieved here with our current law! Thank you soo much 🤗 Well done and I will continue to support you in any way I can! Kind Regards Deborah Dixon

Crime Analyst is an essential listen for anyone seeking a deep, well-informed analysis of coercive control and its impact on victims and society. Hosted by Laura Richards, a former criminal behavioral analyst and expert on domestic abuse, the podcast brings unparalleled insight into the dark, often misunderstood dynamics of abusive relationships and criminal behavior. Laura’s extensive background in law enforcement and her pioneering work on the Domestic Abuse, Stalking, and Harassment and Honor-Based Violence (DASH) Risk Model makes her uniquely qualified to tackle these challenging topics. Crime Analyst tackles the urgent issue of violence against women with precision and empathy, shining a spotlight on the overlooked and misunderstood aspects of coercive control, manipulation, and abuse. Laura Richards’ expertise uniquely equips her to dissect cases of domestic abuse and femicide, revealing the often-hidden layers of violence that permeate many women’s lives. Through her podcast, Laura doesn’t just analyze crime; she advocates fiercely for change, raising awareness of the need for better protections and systemic reforms to prevent violence against women. Her work is a powerful resource for anyone who seeks to understand the complexities of abuse and support efforts to build a safer world for women. Through her expert lens, Laura breaks down complex cases and current events, revealing the underlying patterns of coercive control and manipulation. Her compassionate yet direct approach empowers listeners, providing both survivors and advocates with the knowledge needed to recognize the warning signs and advocate for systemic change. If you’re looking to understand the psychology of crime and the devastating effects of control-based abuse, Crime Analyst is not only informative but indispensable.

I have been listening to Crime Analyst for the past 4 years and I value how it’s victim centered and how Laura uses her platform to educate people and not focus on the gory details like a lot of crime shows. As a LCSW, I find her work more informative than any of the other trainings I’ve taken regarding domestic violence. Thank you Laura for your hard work and dedication to the victims and educating women and men!!

I just happened to stumble across your podcast Laura and it has been a gift and a game changer for me…I absolutely love deep diving into cases with you and it has propelled my critical thinking and analysis skills 10 fold. As a mature age woman who balances parenting and working in a field that is far from being my dream job…Your podcast totally elevates and enriches. I have been following your series of The Mendez Murders with so much curiosity, admiration and objectivity. Lyle and Erik’s trial was heard in my late teens and I remember it vividly. Your thought provoking and insightful analysis and brilliant showcase of guests has sent me on an exploration of truth and justice for these men. Love Your Work and Thank You x

She’s obviously smart and well researched and I learn a lot from her podcast. I appreciate her passion about the Menendez case and her knowledge of coercive control. I enjoy a lot of her episodes.

I have never really understood, why he attacked so many women? Considering, PS was a Mummy’s Boy & my mind boggles on how he attacked so many women. Glorifying in his kills using many different weapons to kill and destroy their identities and hiding there bodies or to leaving them in plain sight. Each and every, serial killer has a mental illness of some sort? 1 less sicko on this planet!!

Any podcast I listen to that has Laura in it is always fascinating. I hesitate to use the word enjoy because it doesn’t seem right considering the subject matter but it’s definitely interesting and I always learn something new. I’m constantly shouting my daughters to come and listen to what Laura is saying. She is so knowledgeable and is fighting hard to change things for survivors and victims who are no longer with us and I admire her and anyone else who is doing that immensely. Thank you for everything you do and I look forward to anything you do in the future. The latest episode about the Menendez Brothers which had journalist Robert Rand on explaining the Netflix show that is currently on is literally a work of complete fiction with a tiny sprinkle of truth. Thankfully we have people like Laura who speaks about facts.

Listened to the episode with Robert Rand and I will be binging more episodes! It’s great info and insight into the case!

The podcast presents known fallacies and misinformation about a case (Sophie Toscan du Plantier) as facts so the analysis of the crime is misguided and worthless. The voice of the host is hard to listen to, very judgemental tone.

Was very hard to follow the very long droning monologue by the guest. More dialogue is needed.

Excellent podcast. Laura is so clear and easy to listen to. She has such passion to make a difference to the legal system after so many women are killed by male partners especially ex partners, Highly recommend.

The content, material and research is first class. Laura really knows her stuff! Her guests are informed, informative and interesting. It got me thinking even more about the uneven playing field women are constantly placed on in our patriarchal society.

I started doing domestic violence works more than 25 years ago. I changed my career focus over the years because the systems were so broken and frankly abusive to the helpers. I have never given up my passion that homes should be the safest not the deadliest, or most hurtful, places. I admire all the hard work Laura has done over the years and the changes she has made. I learn something new everyone I listen and bring it into the work I am currently doing. Thank you Laura for raising awareness by being out there and making your podcast accessible to listeners of all levels of knowledge.

This podcast is one of a kind. It provides the perspective of a true expert for the sake of finding real solutions and gives hope to victims that justice is still alive. I love her deconstruction and research, as well as her ability to say it like it is. It offers valuable insights and makes you want to fight for victims and even choose this as a career.

I’m so glad I discovered this podcast off the back of True Crime Profile, it’s now become one of my favourites and in my top 3 of all time. Working in safeguarding where I am recognising signs of abuse and supporting those that need help this podcast and Laura specifically has been invaluable. I’ve learnt so much more about cohesive control, domestic abuse/violence, misogyny and stalking than any training day on the subject has given me. I’ve also not just been able to help our service users but staff who work in the organisation too. Laura does an amazing job at looking at each case and showing us what happened, what the signs where, how it’s got missed and how we can all learn from it going forward. Laura’s time, dedication (over decades) and I’m sure blood, sweat and tears has gone in to helping and supporting women, victims families and those whose job it is to protect them. She deserves all the praise, awards and much more for this. A true Shero! Thanks Laura for all the learning and in turn helping more people stay, and be safe.

I have listened to every one of Laura’s episodes and will continue to listen. Absolutely brilliant analysis - I only wish I had this depth of knowledge when I was in law enforcement for 26 years.

I’ve been listening to Crime Analyst since Laura launched it and have learned so much about crime deconstruction, coercive control, and stalking. Her work is accessible to everyday citizens, focuses on the victim, and provides life saving information. Highly recommend!

With respect, if you state that you are going to share your profile of the perpetrator, you should not start at 27:10, a bit over half the episode. The first part is spent making points that are well taken, and have been made before. Precisely because the treatment of women victims leaves much to be desired, you cannot even appear to be treating it as filler.

How Laura breaks down all of these cases is just mind blowing. She nails every aspect of the cases and just verbalizes everything that we all think. it’s time women actually stand up for each other and it’s time women are given a voice. Thank you and we all enjoyed the same to everything you have to say.. I’m so thankful that you are forcing laws to be changed - it’s needed here in Australia and thank you for being light to the Marion Barter police debacle. Law enforcement need to be trained better and listen to women. We are grateful to YOU

Really interesting ‘on the spot’ interviews with Venessa Drake, both having a wealth of knowledge on the rehabilitation of prisoners

With respect, if you state that you are going to share your profile of the perpetrator, you should not start at 27:10, a bit over half the episode. The first part is spent making points that are well taken, and have been made before. Precisely because the treatment of women victims leaves much to be desired, you cannot even appear to be treating it as filler.

Fantastic show with a radically respectful approach that challenges dangerous dominant social stereotypes and centres victims. Hugely insightful and extremely informative. I work in domestic abuse and appreciate this show greatly

Excellent information on coercive control, risk assessment, domestic abuse, an protecting women.

Listened to the first episode relating to Sophie Toscan du Plantier and gave up after 30 minutes - just terrible , chatting to her friend used the term beautiful about 20 times, no facts, no analysis , no evidence just drivel. Simple waste of time.

I’d never hear the term coercive control until finding Laura. Her passion on educating the public & teaching best practices for those that are in law enforcement will hopefully change laws. Her deep dives into cases is unmatched. Thank you Laura for continuing to beat the drum.

I am on the verge of tears after listening to Nichole talk about her love for her daughter and her never-ending grief after Gabby was murdered by her fiancé. Laura supports Nichole to remember her daughter and some of the red flags and warning signs that would have suggested that Gabby was being coercively controlled. So helpful to others to know the signs might be able to protect other women who are in danger from controlling relationships.

Thank you for your service and your work , you are making the world better

Laura Richards takes us through the meticulous workings of her brilliant brain. She encourages us to drop bias and prejudice and really look at people.. the victims, the criminals, and ourselves. She is a no nonsense, critical thinker… and she doesn’t approve of sloppy police work. Laura is not afraid to challenge victim blaming and unequivocal representation and leadership. She is a champion for justice.

I have listened to Laura for a long time. She is insightful and as someone who worked for Thames Valley Police prior to moving back to Australia, she has also had an impact on me in more than just a personal capacity. This is a subject hugely close to my work across multiple industries and very important to me. Thank you for all you do, Laura. I would love to share two different stories with you if you have time. Keep going!