Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2018
Capstone Advisor
Michael Sponsler
Honors Reader
Jonathan Adelman
Capstone Major
Psychology
Capstone College
Arts and Science
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Sciences and Engineering
Subject Categories
Experimental Analysis of Behavior | Law | Other Law | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
The “CSI Effect” has been generally defined as the effect that watching forensic shows, such as the wildly popular, 15-season long television show CSI, has on the general public’s perception of forensic evidence presented at criminal trials. A major concern expert witnesses have is that the existence of the “CSI Effect” can affect the outcomes of the trials, over the strength of the case itself. Whether or not the defendant is guilty should not rest on how well the forensic evidence presented lived up to the jury’s expectations, and as such, the potential existence of this effect has been a source of major concern for those in the Forensic field. However, research studies have yet to yield results that lend weight to the existence of the “CSI Effect”. It’s important to note that these studies are primarily published in law journals, and reflect lawyers’ views of how the existence of the “CSI Effect” may be affecting their ability to “win” their respective cases. This study takes different approach; instead of polling general groups, perceptions of forensic evidence that 18-24 year olds hold are compared to the perceptions of those 50 and older. The results are mixed. Those 50 and older watch more television in terms of hours per week than do those 18-24, yet those 50 and older have less of an idea of that value a type of evidence may hold. Those 18-24 are more likely to base the value of forensic evidence on the case type. One conclusion can be reached – the factors affecting potential jurors’ perception of evidence are not as straightforward as watching too many crime shows.
Recommended Citation
Stewart, Sarah, "Examining the Potential of the “CSI Effect” to Create False Expectations in Jurors in Regard to Expert Testimony" (2018). Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All. 1168.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/1168
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