QUESTION Do shows like CSI influence our courts?
I hadn't heard of this before. It's the CSI effect. The hypothesis is that shows like CSI influence our courts and help criminals evade capture and prosecution.
I'll have to dig deeper into how the experiments were done. But the consensus so far is there is no direct correlation.
More research will be required to satisy this skeptic. But the topic is interesting nonetheless.
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8 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I would hope not. If shows like CSI weren't sensationalized somewhat, they would be boring. I already think they're boring.
Piece2YourPuzzle
Level 8
Jan 10, 2018
0
Used to watch CSI. DNA seems to win out most cases. Much more research needed.
sassygirl3869
Level 9
Jan 10, 2018
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I think such shows raise jury expectations. Most crime labs dont' ahve the budgets for the advanced crime scene processing depicted on such shoes. When the prosecution doesn't have the evidence produced by advanced procedures, I think it can, in the mind of jurors, make for a weaker case.
snytiger6
Level 9
Jan 10, 2018
1
A friend of mine was a police sergeant for several years, spent plenty of time in court. This was exactly his experience. He said that jurors often expected police to have the kind of air-tight evidence that CSI episodes tended to show, and were less likely to convict as a result.
Not terribly surprising. First of all, willing to bet that CSI shows are about as accurate in their presentation of forensics as they are about everything else. Secondly the kinds of people committing crimes that require forensic clean up ... are already exhibiting impaired judgement. That also argues against them being able to effectively use forensic countermeasures. Lastly, ones who are serious about forensic countermeasures have much better places to learn them than TV shows. So not surprised by these results. Am curious about juries, have heard their expectation of the kinds of things they see on CSI does have an influence, because frankly few cases have that kind of conclusive forensics. Will have to wait for those studies I expect.
Druvius
Level 8
Jan 10, 2018
1
I remember one of Penn & Teller's Bullshit! episodes where they question the veracity of Forensics as science. It was very illuminating.
To think the lay public isn't influenced by the sexy packaging of a fiction show like CSI does not surprise me. I've met some of these people in real life. They're not sexy...at all!
LucifersPen
Level 7
Jan 10, 2018
1
Anything presented over television has influence one way or another.
HeyHiHullo
Level 7
Jan 10, 2018
1
Sure... I started breaking into things when Robert Wagner had a show called It Takes A Thief. Here I am just a stupid little boy running around picking locks and getting a buzz off the excitement. I was a mess.
BucketlistBob
Level 8
Jan 10, 2018
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