CSI Effect

The American justice system today is set up in such a way that no criminal can be convicted if reasonable doubt exists regarding the crime. This is particularly important when considering severe crimes such as murder or grand theft. A recent phenomenon that has created a stir in courtrooms, and especially among prosecutors, is the so-called "CSI Effect," which means that a public constantly bombarded by shows such as CSI and the like tend to harbor unrealistic expectations about evidence presented in criminal cases. Furthermore, these same viewers tend to acquit criminals that should be charged for their crimes. In this regard, Donald Shelton's article, "The CSI Effect: Does it really exist?" highlights several important elements, the most important of which is that there have not been any academic studies to investigate the severity of this concern. Furthermore, the article suggests that, while the CSI effect itself is...
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