The CSI Effect is a theory that crime television shows have a certain impact on viewers and the criminal justice system. In particular, crime shows, mass media, and television certainly have some effect on many areas of life. It is believed that in 1975, about 40% of all programs on television were crime and detective series (Cole et al., 2017). In this context, it is important to note that in 2002, US prosecutors considered the possibility of applying the knowledge of CSI as an example for real investigations (Cole et al., 2017). However, around the same time, it became clear that CSI has a detrimental effect on the criminal justice system and the law rather than a positive one. Thus, the public, seeing the romanticized image of police officers, prosecutors, and detectives, acquired somewhat inflated expectations.
Among other things, the high expectations of the population are also associated with the image of the working process of criminologists. The public is used to seeing dark laboratories with much modern equipment on TV (Freetheinnocent, 2007). In addition, they saw how criminologists, with the help of the study of a single hair, solved the most complicated cases. However, in practice, the investigation is not always as successful as in the series. Moreover, even the laboratories themselves and the research process look different. In this context, the public has come to expect too much from criminologists and the criminal justice system because of the CSI Effect.
Finally, the CSI has had a certain impact not only on justice workers but also on the criminals themselves. Thus, there is a case in which the criminal in 2011, after the murder, returned to the crime scene to remove his DNA prints from all the surfaces of the house (Vicary et al., 2017). In that sense, it was shows like CSI that told him that DNA could lead to finding him. This particular case demonstrates that the effect of CSI is not always good, as criminals can also be viewers of such shows. Thus, it becomes possible to conclude that the CSI Effect is present among the average audience and law enforcement officers and criminals.
References
Cole, S. A., & Porter, G. (2017). The CSI effect. The Routledge international handbook of forensic intelligence and criminology, 112-124.
Freetheinnocent. (2007). Anderson Cooper 360: The CSI Effect [Video]. YouTube.
Vicary, A., & Zaikman, Y. (2017). The CSI Effect: An Investigation into the Relationship between Watching Crime Shows and Forensic Knowledge. North American Journal of Psychology, 19(1).