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47 Jurimetrics 357 (2006-2007)
The CSI Effect: Popular Fiction about Forensic Science Affects the Public's Expectations about Real Forensic Science

handle is hein.journals/juraba47 and id is 365 raw text is: THE CSI EFFECT: POPULAR FICTION ABOUT FORENSIC SCIENCE AFFECTS THE PUBLIC'S EXPECTATIONS ABOUT REAL FORENSIC SCIENCE N.J. Schweitzer Michael J. Saks* ABSTRACT: Two of a number of hypotheses loosely referred to as the CSI Effect suggest that the television program and its spin-offs, which wildly exaggerate and glorify forensic science, affect the public, and in turn affect trials either by (a) burdening the prosecution by creating greater expectations about forensic science than can be delivered or (b) burdening the defense by creating exaggerated faith in the capabilities and reliability of the forensic sciences. The present study tested these hypotheses by presenting to mock jurors a simulated trial transcript that included the testimony of a forensic scientist. The case for conviction was relatively weak, unless the expert testimony could carry the case across the threshold of reasonable doubt. In addition to reacting to the trial evidence, respondents were asked about their television viewing habits. Compared to non-CSI viewers, CSI viewers were more critical of the forensic evidence presented at the trial, finding it less believable. Regarding their verdicts, 29% of non-CSI viewers said they would convict, compared to 18% of CSI viewers (not a statistically significant difference). Forensic science viewers expressed more confidence in their verdicts than did non-viewers. Viewers of general crime programs, however, did not differ significantly from their non-viewing counterparts on any of the other dependent measures, suggesting that skepticism toward the forensic science testimony was specific to those whose diet consisted of heavy doses of forensic science television programs. *N.J. Schweitzer is a Ph.D. candidate, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University. Michael J. Saks is Professor of Law and Psychology and Faculty Fellow, Center for the Study of Law, Science, and Technology, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University. The authors wish to thank Dawn McQuiston-Surrett for her assistance with this project and for the development of the experimental materials. Correspondence can be sent to N.J. Schweitzer, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104 or njs@asu.edu. SPRING 2007 I ARTICLE

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