In the 21st century, popular culture shapes much of what we know and the views we hold on major institutions in our society. This includes our view of the criminal justice system. To thoroughly answer this question, one must look at how the media has shaped our views law enforcement and the police as well as the prison system.
To begin with, I would like to start off with one of the best examples discussed in class, the impact popular crime shows have had in shaping peoples expectations of the police and forensic investigators. Popular crime shows such as CSI: Miami have created unrealistic expectations on what forensic science can contribute to the criminal justice system. This is known as the CSI effect. This show plays on public imagination …show more content…
But this hasn't stopped people from thinking that there is always something to be found, like in CSI. The biggest problem of the CSI effect has been on potential jurors. After watching numerous episodes of the show, jurors sit in on court cases waiting for some game changing forensic evidence to be introduced that will immediately prove whether or not the accused is guilty or innocent. This has become extremely problematic because now before the start of a trial, judges and prosecutors have to sit and lecture the jury on what to expect from forensic science. This has also resulted in many jurors finding defendants not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt because their hair or fingerprints were not found at the scene. There are no conclusive studies that have found that the CSI effect has directly led to jurors acquitting offenders, but it is a strong working theory. Most people are able to enjoy watching popular shows like CSI and differentiate facts from fiction. Which also means that most people are able to serve on juries in a professional manner without being affected by the CSI effect. The whole concern about the CSI effect is in turn a big moral panic, where the show is the folk devil that misleads people’s view of what is actually achievable by our criminal justice
To begin with, I would like to start off with one of the best examples discussed in class, the impact popular crime shows have had in shaping peoples expectations of the police and forensic investigators. Popular crime shows such as CSI: Miami have created unrealistic expectations on what forensic science can contribute to the criminal justice system. This is known as the CSI effect. This show plays on public imagination …show more content…
But this hasn't stopped people from thinking that there is always something to be found, like in CSI. The biggest problem of the CSI effect has been on potential jurors. After watching numerous episodes of the show, jurors sit in on court cases waiting for some game changing forensic evidence to be introduced that will immediately prove whether or not the accused is guilty or innocent. This has become extremely problematic because now before the start of a trial, judges and prosecutors have to sit and lecture the jury on what to expect from forensic science. This has also resulted in many jurors finding defendants not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt because their hair or fingerprints were not found at the scene. There are no conclusive studies that have found that the CSI effect has directly led to jurors acquitting offenders, but it is a strong working theory. Most people are able to enjoy watching popular shows like CSI and differentiate facts from fiction. Which also means that most people are able to serve on juries in a professional manner without being affected by the CSI effect. The whole concern about the CSI effect is in turn a big moral panic, where the show is the folk devil that misleads people’s view of what is actually achievable by our criminal justice