I don’t necessarily suffer from the “CSI effect” because I know that what you see on TV isn’t what happens in reality. However, the one part that has caused me to fall into the “CSI effect” is that I thought the results were almost always, accurate and correct from a lab or test for example.
Explanation: effects
1.It’s become more difficult to prosecute defendants
Today’s jurors want more hard evidence. They want the smoking gun and the DNA proof—the unmistakable proof that points to the perpetrator. But any legal professional will tell you this doesn’t always exist.
Some think this is why high-profile defendants like Casey Anthony and Robert Blake were acquitted in recent years. Circumstantial evidence and even eye-witness accounts don’t cut it in the shadow of the high-tech, flashy world of CSI and other shows. 21st century jurors are expecting sophisticated science to be included in every trial—even though it may not always reflect the reality of the case.
2.Jurors are becoming more knowledgeable
While CSI-viewers tend to have higher expectations for scientific evidence in trials, they also show patterns of superior legal knowledge compared to their non-CSI-watching counterparts. One survey indicated that CSI viewers were more likely to expect evidence relevant to a specific crime than non-CSI viewers. They also knew what type of evidence would be irrelevant to specific crimes.
However, more knowledgeable jurors isn’t always a good thing. Jurors may think they are more knowledgeable on forensic evidence than they truly are. They may be aware of forensic testing and its capabilities but not understand when it is appropriately used in a case.
3.It’s manipulating crime scenes
Criminals have access to the same television programming as the rest of us. Some believe the surplus in crime shows is changing their behavior as well. While these programs are not always entirely true, many of the proceedings are based upon facts.
Criminals are taking notes and becoming more skilled at covering their tracks. They know to wear gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, and they know to use bleach to clean up incriminating evidence
4.Interest is increasing in the criminal justice field
If nothing else, crime shows are at least raising interest and awareness of the legal, medical and investigative professionals and what they do. Bringing the work of these often-overlooked criminal justice professionals to the public eye is introducing individuals to potential professional opportunities in the field.
