The CSI Effect

Respond to the following:

• Describe your personal impression of the Crime Scene Investigation function based on your ideas about the field before you began this course. Try to trace where these ideas came from.
• Briefly describe what is meant by the CSI Effect.
  • Is this phenomenon a legitimate concern for attorneys arguing a criminal case at trial?
  • Which side (prosecution or defense) is most harmed by the CSI Effect? Cite research and examples to support your conclusion.
• Imagine you are a juror in a burglary case. The defendant claims he was never in the victim’s home, yet the prosecutor insists the defendant is guilty.
  • What specific pieces of evidence would you require to convict the defendant?