English 102 Annotated Bibliography: CSI Effect

This annotated bibliography explores the 'CSI effect,' which refers to the impact of crime scene investigation television shows on jurors' expectations and demands for forensic evidence in courtrooms. The annotations summarize various research papers and articles that discuss how these shows have led jurors to expect unrealistic levels of scientific evidence, often resulting in acquittals due to the perceived lack of sufficient proof. The bibliography covers a range of perspectives, including the influence of media on public perception, the challenges faced by real crime labs, and the potential for biased judgments. It highlights the need for awareness and education to mitigate the negative consequences of the CSI effect on the legal system.

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Juhee Kim
Dan Hurley
English 102
02/01/2017
Bibliography
Alldredge, John. "The" CSI Effect" and Its Potential Impact on Juror Decisions." Themis:
Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science 3.1 (2015): 6.
scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=themis.
This research has shown and demonstrated the role of CSI effect and its impact on jurors
for seeking plausible evidences. The verdict of jurors are getting more dependent on
forensic evidences that are not feasible to produce with these technology and limited
resources. The criminals are however taking advantage of this effect, as the legal lawyers
are requesting and demanding more evidence from defense, leading to fail testimonies
and decisions. This annotation showed that the modern shows are affecting perception of
jurors as they seek for unnecessary tests and evidences that are too difficult to produce
due to technological limitations.
Cole, Simon A., and Rachel Dioso-Villa. "Investigating the 'CSI effect' effect: media and
litigation crisis in criminal law." (2009). https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Papers.cfm?
abstract_id=1401417. In this paper, the researcher has highlighted critical and serious
concerns regarding the CSI effect and how they are affecting criminal trials in any
litigation process. Compromised judiciary results are being observed which are attributed
to the fictional science imparted in these criminal dramas. The research was based on a
concluded fact, that how a popular TV series- CSI franchise is hampering the jurisdiction

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and convincing the judges to demand more forensic evidences. This annotation covers the
impact of these shows on acquittal of cases in which jurors demanded for facts and
evidences as they are affected by these CSI effect, thereby inflating their expectations.
Cooley, Craig M. "The CSI effect: Its impact and potential concerns." New Eng. L. Rev. 41
(2006): 471.
http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/newlr41&div=21&id=&pa
ge=. Cooley demonstrated the potential effects of CSI in revolutionizing forensic science
and technology but also discusses its impact in barring vision to seek justice. The
annotation showed key role of CSI effect in barring decisions of a juror as they
continuously seek for newer evidences which are not possible with modern technologies.
However it has also motivated researchers to invent new methods to combat current
situation but to overcome the arising situation, time is the sole answer.
Heinrick, Jeffrey. "Everyone’s an expert: The CSI effect’s negative impact on juries." The Triple
Helix 3.1 (2006): 59-61. web.alfredstate.edu/benslewd/FRSC1001/CSI%20Effect
%20Reading%201.pdf. As per the researcher Henrick, the CSI can led jurors to demand
more scientific evidences and how they are responsible for not convicting the guilty
persons as jurors are in a dilemma of forensic science, which can produce any forensic
evidence as shown in the TV drama/series out of thin air. The annotation shows that these
dramas/series have led jurors to demand more evidences and proofs that are laborious,
time consuming and mostly very expensive leading to acquittal of the trials and failing
them to impart justice.

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Hughes, Thomas, and Megan Magers. "The perceived impact of crime scene investigation shows
on the administration of justice." Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture 14.3
(2007): 259-276. www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol14is3/HughesMagers.pdf. The entire
paper and research done by Hughes primarily focuses on that how the CSI effect is
affecting the courtrooms and the litigation process. The administration process and
jurisdiction are getting deceived and tampered as a result of this effect. The author
concluded the statement by requesting feedback surveys via email from judges and
perceiving that how this effect caused due to modern crime investigation dramas are
prevailing in the courtrooms. Further insight to this research revealed that the effect of
these show/dramas are not giving a positive feedback among different jurors. However,
the change in their jurisdiction and administrative role is not significant but yet it can also
not be neglected at the same time. The petitioners have also felt and confirmed behavioral
change in the litigation processes due to unwanted demands of more scientific approvals
and reports from the jurors.
Maeder, Evelyn M., and Richard Corbett. "Beyond frequency: Perceived realism and the CSI
effect." Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice 57.1 (2015): 83-114.
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/565459/pdf. The study and report emphasized by Maeder has
focused on that how the CSI effect has put burden on criminal investigation teams and
department as the attorneys and jurors are expecting more evidences and proofs and the
change in behavior in leading any criminal investigation.
Patry, M. W., V. Stinson, and S. M. Smith. "CSI Effect: Is popular television transforming
Canadian society." Communications in question: Canadian perspectives on controversial
issues in communication studies (2008). https://books.google.co.in/books?

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isbn=1285459059. This research addresses the impact of crime dramas on Canadian
judicial system. The annotation shares how the perception at public and professional
levels are changing and thus altering the truth and making litigation a biased system.
Rath, Arun. "Is The'CSI Effect'Influencing Courtrooms?." National Public Radio (2011).
www.npr.org/2011/02/06/133497696/is-the-csi-effect-influencing-courtrooms. Rath has
showed that how people and jury expect them to solve case in a matter of few minutes
and the deadlines for trials are also getting reduced. This has led investigators to fall short
of both time and evidences. Hence with the increasing effect of CSI, the courtrooms and
their decisions are making a huge impact on the life of people associated with it.
Roane, Kit R., and Dan Morrison. "The CSI effect." US News & World Report 138.15 (2005):
48-54. www.academia.edu/1191938/The_CSI_effect. Roane showed that how a
convicted felon was pleaded not guilty by a juror under the influence of CSI effect. The
above annotation focuses on how the decisions are being manipulated by this effect. The
convicted persons are getting acquitted by jurors on demanding baseless evidences. The
lab report found the DNA of convicted person on the body of rape victim, but the juror
despite considering the report asked for more evidences which lead to false decision and
in favor of the convicted felon.
Schweitzer, Nicholas J., and Michael J. Saks. "The CSI effect: popular fiction about forensic
science affects the public's expectations about real forensic science." Jurimetrics (2007):
357-364. http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?
collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/juraba47&div=23&id=&page=. The
researcher has hypothesized the role of modern investigation roles as they expect more

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evidences and results which are not possible due to technological limitations thereby
putting more burden on defense to defend their case. This annotation covers the
difference between the judgments of juror who watch and don’t watch crime
investigation shows. It was reported that only those jurors were affected, who watched
these shows for much amount of time.
Shelton, Donald E., Young S. Kim, and Gregg Barak. "A study of juror expectations and
demands concerning scientific evidence: Does the CSI effect exist." Vand. J. Ent. &
Tech. L. 9 (2006): 331. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=958224. In
this, the survey conducted by researcher for 1027 persons which was based on
information received on the basis of their time devoted for viewing these investigation
dramas, and demographic information that creates unnecessary expectations from defense
process/side to produce irrelevant and time consuming scientific evidences in a short
period of time that further hampers their verdict in a case. The annotation sheds light that
how jurors are being affected by watching and getting influenced from these shows and
hence, showing the prevalence of CSI effect.
Stephens, Sheila L. "The CSI effect on real crime labs." New Eng. L. Rev. 41 (2006): 591.
www.ncstl.org/picture/CSI%20Effect%20Bibliography%20Addendum%202012.pdf. The
researcher focuses on the effect of CSI effect on real crime labs and how they are tackling
the increased demands from jurors. The annotation shares a deep concern, as the jurors
are asking new evidences, hence, certain real crime labs are forging their data and
falsifying evidences.