On April 4 and 5, the 8th Annual Forensic Science and Law Conference “Where Fact Meets Fiction” was held at Duquesne University. Distinguished professionals in the forensic science and law field attended such as Cyril Wecht, Henry Lee, Ann Rule, FBI Profiler James Clemente, Robert K. Tanenbaum, Michael Baden, Michael Welner, and actors David Berman and Jon Wellner from the television show CSI.
The conference focused on the differences between forensic science in the real world, and forensic science on television and in the media. Over 60 million people watch the hit shows CSI, Criminal Minds, and Bones, and have been exposed to the world of forensic science.
By Faith Konidaris,
Contributor
On April 4 and 5, the 8th Annual Forensic Science and Law Conference “Where Fact Meets Fiction” was held at Duquesne University. Distinguished professionals in the forensic science and law field attended such as Cyril Wecht, Henry Lee, Ann Rule, FBI Profiler James Clemente, Robert K. Tanenbaum, Michael Baden, Michael Welner, and actors David Berman and Jon Wellner from the television show CSI.
The conference focused on the differences between forensic science in the real world, and forensic science on television and in the media. Over 60 million people watch the hit shows CSI, Criminal Minds, and Bones, and have been exposed to the world of forensic science.
These shows have impacted the lives of many and unfortunately, some people have twisted reality with fiction. Many people believe that cases can be born and solved in less than one hour, forensic labs are well funded, and DNA can be found in all cases.
In reality, cases can take months or years to solve and some remain unsolved. According to bestselling author Jan Burke, “There were over half a million backlogged cases from the year 2002 alone and DNA is not available, feasible, and/or relevant in all cases.”
The shows try to maintain a certain degree of accuracy, but according to Berman, “reality is distorted to maintain entertainment and ratings.”
Another problem is the “CSI Effect” in which persons selected for jury duty have an expectation of what kind of evidence should be presented in a case.
Lee said that “even [he] has been questioned about types of evidence that should be present in a case.” It is good that people have become more aware of forensic science, but at the same time, people also need remember that not everything seen on television is fact.