Community Members' Perceptions of the CSI Effect

Am J Crim Just (2013) 38:216235

DOI 10.1007/s12103-012-9166-2

Rebecca M. Hayes & Lora M. Levett

Received: 6 January 2012 /Accepted: 9 April 2012 /

Published online: 1 May 2012# Southern Criminal Justice Association 2012

Abstract The CSI Effect is the notion that crime show viewing influences jurors to have unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence, which then affects their trial decisions. Analyses of popular media shows that the media portrays the effect as a real problem, and research surveying the legal community indicates that they believe the CSI Effect exists and may change their investigation and trial strategies accordingly. The present study expanded on this research by surveying community members regarding their perceptions of the CSI Effect. Community members reported their general television and crime show viewing behaviors, and we examined this in relation to their knowledge construction of the CSI Effect. Findings indicate that overall, the majority of community members did not have knowledge of the CSI effect, but those who did perceive it as an unrealistic expectation of evidence. When provided with a definition of the CSI Effect, people generally believed it exists. Additionally, crime show viewing and participants race influenced peoples perceptions of the CSI effect. Limitations of this study and directions for future research are also discussed.

Keywords CSI effect . Cultivation theory. Juror decision making . Television viewing . Crime shows

The media, attorneys, and other actors in the legal system define the CSI Effect as a phenomenon in which jurors who view television crime shows, particularly CSI,

Portions of this research were presented at the 2009 meetings of the American Society of Criminology in Philadelphia, PA.

R. M. Hayes (*)

Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Social, Central Michigan University, 131 Anspach, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, USAe-mail: [email protected]

L. M. Levett

Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117330, Gainesville, FL 32611, USAe-mail: [email protected]

Community Members Perceptions of the CSI Effect

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require forensic evidence in every trial. This requirement is reported to affect jurors verdicts (Tyler, 2006). If forensic evidence is present, the CSI-watching jurors may give it too much weight; if forensic evidence is absent the CSI-watching jurors will be skeptical of other common trial evidence because of...