CSI Effect

Abstract

Crime in America is increasing rapidly and many techniques have been created over the years in order to solve major crimes. Forensics science is one of the many techniques that have been created. Forensics is the use of science and technology to investigate and establish facts in criminal courts of law (free-dictionary, n.d). But there is an upcoming issue which involves the exaggerated details of forensics science. This paper explores the CSI Effect, compares and contrasts criminalistics which involves the nature of the crime and criminology which is the study of the criminal behavior, explores how criminalistics and criminology is fictionally portrayed in the media and how the CSI Effect influences the public …show more content…

This was the accusation of 22 year old Casey Anthony who was being charged with the murder of her 2 year old daughter Caylee Anthony and dumping the body in the woods near her parent’s home on Suburban Drive. In the case they found gargantuan amounts of evidence in the trial. Some examples are: the child Caylee was last seen with her mother, Caylee's remains were wrapped in items all from the Anthony home. There is a strong possibility that the "CSI" effect was a factor. There were arguably several instances during the trial where the lack of forensic evidence could have led the jury to have reasonable doubt about the prosecution's case such as the findings of Caylee's 9" long mitochondrial DNA matched hair which was found in trunk of car. They were unable to determine how 2-year-old Caylee Anthony died. Jurors understand when a body is missing but have difficulty accepting that science is unable to determine the cause of death (Hoffmeister, 2011). Casey Anthony's DNA was not on the duct tape that prosecutors said were used to suffocate Caylee Anthony. They consider DNA to be the gold standard of evidence, and when it is not present, questions arise (Hoffmeister, 2011). Lastly the jurors felt as if they should have been able to place Casey Anthony to where her daughter’s body was found because of technology advancements that we now have today. This case was built on circumstantial evidence in which there was no