Evidence
Just a pondering I had on the way to work today:
Do procedural television shows like CSI bias real-world jurors in favor of criminals?
I think most people who think about it can agree that CSI (and other shows with similar flavor) is unrealistic. Every week, some forensic conundrum is solved and the criminal determined without a doubt. Real world forensic departments would love to have a track record like that. We also know that this style of television is extremely popular with the masses - CSI regularly appears in the top Neilson ratings, typically only beat out by popular reality shows or sports events.
But I wonder if these perfect forensic teams are ruining juror impartiality. Do they now rely on the technology to eliminate the shadow of a doubt? If there isn't any DNA evidence to match, does the case fall flat? If nobody was able to recreate the type of weapon used to break the skull 'just so', does the murderer walk free? Life isn't as black and white or perfect as television.
Or do I just not have enough faith in my fellow citizens' ability to think critically?
Anyway, hadn't posted in a while, and this was just something to pass the time in the car.
Link of the Moment: Did you ever make your own kaleidoscope? Would you like to?
Do procedural television shows like CSI bias real-world jurors in favor of criminals?
I think most people who think about it can agree that CSI (and other shows with similar flavor) is unrealistic. Every week, some forensic conundrum is solved and the criminal determined without a doubt. Real world forensic departments would love to have a track record like that. We also know that this style of television is extremely popular with the masses - CSI regularly appears in the top Neilson ratings, typically only beat out by popular reality shows or sports events.
But I wonder if these perfect forensic teams are ruining juror impartiality. Do they now rely on the technology to eliminate the shadow of a doubt? If there isn't any DNA evidence to match, does the case fall flat? If nobody was able to recreate the type of weapon used to break the skull 'just so', does the murderer walk free? Life isn't as black and white or perfect as television.
Or do I just not have enough faith in my fellow citizens' ability to think critically?
Anyway, hadn't posted in a while, and this was just something to pass the time in the car.
Link of the Moment: Did you ever make your own kaleidoscope? Would you like to?
posted by Kojubat at
07:41
1 Comments:
I do think that jurys are now expecting some form of grand, elaborate recreation of the crime when sitting on a jury. I did read somewhere that forensic teams are having a more difficult time finding evidence as criminals are being extra careful these days. You see they watch shows like CSI and will keep in mind that they have to wear gloves, wear certain shoes etc... when committing a crime.
By
k o w, at 08:54
Post a Comment
<< Home