The CSI Effect (FightWrite™)

When it comes to forensic science on TV, what you see isn’t so much science as fiction. And there’s a reason for that: Like actual fights, true forensics isn’t showy.

And just as watching fights has made many believe they’re fighters without having trained, CSI shows have convinced a generation that they’re forensic experts. The existence of these “couch scientists” has become so prevalent, they’ve created their own phenomena known as “The CSI Effect.”

(Jousting for Writers (FightWrite™️))

The CSI Effect is the belief that TV crime shows are affecting the decisions of juries. Jurors have an expectation of what they’ll see brought into evidence because of the forensic evidence they see on CSI shows.

In 2006, The National Institute of Justice surveyed over 1,000 randomly selected jurors. They found that jurors expected to see the following in every criminal case set before them:

46 percent expected to see some kind of scientific evidence22 percent expected to see DNA evidence.36 percent expected to see fingerprint evidence.32 percent expected to see ballistic or other firearms laboratory evidence.46 percent expected to see DNA evidence in the more serious violent offenses, such as murder or attempted murder.In cases of rape, 73 percent expected to see DNA evidence.In breaking and entering cases, 71 percent wanted to see fingerprint evidence.In any theft case, 59 percent expected to see fingerprint evidence.In crimes involving a gun, 66 percent expected to see fingerprint evidence.

Another study went further and showed that not only were jurors impacted by the CSI Effect, but also attorneys and criminals.

Effect on Prosecuting Attorneys

The Strong Prosecutor’s Effect suggests that watching shows like “CSI” puts a greater burden on the prosecuting attorney to produce detailed scientific evidence. When these attorneys can’t produce such evidence, there’s a greater likelihood of a false acquittal.

Because of the greater risk of losing a case, prosecuting attorneys may be more likely to reject jurors who watch shows like CSI.

Effect on Defense Attorneys

Defense attorneys argue that when forensic evidence is presented, jurors give it more weight than it should be given. In other words, forensic evidence is more persuasive to juries than any non-forensic evidence, which may actually be more trustworthy.

Defense attorneys also posit that the professionals they put on the stand to refute or re-examine the forensic evidence provided by the prosecution are seen more as hired to say what they should rather than professionals in their field.

Effect on Criminals

Criminals seem to be fans of CSI shows as well. After all, they teach the criminals how not to get caught. Police have reported that criminals seem more aware of protecting themselves against leaving DNA evidence behind.

It’s more common to see crooks wearing gloves and masks as well as wiping down surfaces they’ve handled. Criminals are also aware, now more than ever, of the use of bleach in avoiding detection as well as the advantages of burning getaway cars.

Is the CSI Effect Even Real?

There are studies that claim the CSI Effect is not real. I spoke to a defense attorney who said he absolutely sees it. Jurors, more than ever, expect to see an abundance of scientific evidence and are skeptical when none is present.

I tend to believe that. I’m also further inclined to believe that it impacts jurors when in trials, such as Commonwealth v. Seng (2010), jurors are told,

“And I remind you that this is real life and not CSI. I say that without being facetious. It has been observed across the country that people who’ve watched that particular program and similar programs tend to think that life is all that sort of science fiction and it’s not.”

“And I remind you that this is real life and not CSI. I say that without being facetious. It has been observed across the country that people who’ve watched that particular program and similar programs tend to think that life is all that sort of science fiction and it’s not.”

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

How the CSI Effect Impacts Writers

If real jurors expect to see an abundance of scientific evidence in a court room, it’s reasonable to think readers expect to see it in our work. The reality of this sort of evidence being presented in court isn’t nearly as impactful to our writing as much as what our readers think they should be reading.

It’s the same with fight scenes. Most fights are uneventful and over in under a minute. But readers don’t want that any more than they want to know how Katniss Everdeen used the restroom while in the Hunger Games arena. Think about it: If we were all so incredibly invested in what is true-to-life, wouldn’t we want to know the restroom situation there?

Fiction and nonfiction readers alike want to be entertained. They don’t care about the mundanity of a character’s life. No reader wants to know when someone went to sleep every single day. Can you imagine a book that takes place over the course of a year with the words “they went to sleep” written 365 times?

When it comes to fiction readers, they don’t care if what they read is completely true to life as long as it’s believable. Do you know what constitutes “believable?” It’s whatever you can make a reader believe while they read. In case you need factual evidence of that, as of this writing, four of the top five bestselling fiction books of all time are fantasy.

In our next round at FightWrite with the WD Blog, we will look at some common CSI myths to steer clear of in your work. So, not only will you know what your reader wants to see, but what you don’t need to show them because it’s just plain bunk. You’ll also learn how a koala can help get your client out of a murder conviction! Stay tuned.

All of this information and more can be found in my new book, Fight Write, Round Two: Crafting Chaos, Combat and Crime coming out in October. Woohoo! It will be pumpkin time and all things crime at FightWrite!

Until then get blood on your pages!

Resources

[i] Shelton, Donald. “The “CSI Effect”: Does It Really Exist?” National Institute of Justice, 16 Mar. 2008, nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/csi-effect-does-it-really-exist.

[ii] Chin, Jason M., and Larysa Workewych. “The CSI Effect.” Oup.com, Oxford Academic, 2022, academic.oup.com/edited-volume/41331/chapter/352336326.

[iii] Warren, Chris . “Do Crime Dramas Make Better Criminals?” HowStuffWorks, 11 Mar. 2011, people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/tv-and-culture/crime-dramas-make-better-criminals.htm#:~:text=A%20number%20of%20prosecutors%20and.

[iv] https://www.facebook.com/jamesclear, and James Clear. “Best-Selling Books of All-Time: Top Selling Books by Ranking.” James Clear, 2015, jamesclear.com/best-books/best-selling.

Struggling to choose a fighting style for your character? The struggle is over. The way your character does battle isn’t up to you. It’s up to the story. The time and place of the work, the society in which your character lives, their inherent and fostered traits and the needs of the story will determine how your character responds to aggression.