Exploring the CSI Effect: What do potential jurors think they know about forensic evidence?

Turner, Jim (2011). Exploring the CSI Effect: What do potential jurors think they know about forensic evidence? In: Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition conference 2011 (SARMAC 2011), 27-29 Jun 201, New York City, USA.

Abstract

With the proliferation of fictionalised portrayals of forensic science, typified by the CSI series of television programmes, concerns have arisen about the effects of exposure to such portrayals on ‘lay’ understandings of forensic evidence and the potential impact on jury decisions. A key issue is that jurors may expect high-quality, incontrovertible evidence as portrayed in fiction, and may be overly-inclined towards acquittal when it is not forthcoming. This study explored the expectations that a jury-qualified, general-population sample had of forensic evidence, of the kind that typically comes before courts in real cases and the kind that is portrayed in fiction.