Analyzing the criminal psyche is a common motif in Cooney's films and plays, and The I Inside is no exception. Though he himself is a stranger to real-life criminal trauma, Cooney explains that, "It's true that (criminal) psychology is a recurring theme of all my plays — those that aren't comedies, anyway.
Cooney frequently explores the idea of understanding the motivations behind criminal behavior in his films and plays, and The I Inside follows this pattern. Despite not having personal experience with real-life crime, Cooney notes that, "Criminal psychology is a common thread throughout my non-comedic works."